Dacotah Paper Listed by blackbyte Ransomware Group: Ransomware Claim — What’s Alleged & What To Do

Dacotah Paper, a wholesale distributor also operating as Range Paper Bemidji Paper & Janitorial Supply, was listed by the BlackByte ransomware group in a report dated April 25, 2023. Public information indicates that internal files were exfiltrated during a ransomware attack, though the number of people affected remains unknown and many operational details have not been disclosed.

The listing itself represents a claim by the group rather than independently confirmed disclosure of the full scope. For customers, suppliers, and employees connected to a regional wholesale business of this type, the incident raises practical questions about what internal material may have left the company’s control and what steps follow.

What happened

According to available reporting, Dacotah Paper appeared on a BlackByte leak site on or around April 25, 2023. The group asserted that it had carried out a ransomware attack and exfiltrated internal files. No public confirmation has detailed the precise date the intrusion began, the initial access method, whether systems were encrypted, or whether a ransom demand was issued or paid. The number of individuals whose information may have been involved is listed as unknown. Beyond the statement that internal files were taken, further technical or forensic particulars have not been released in the material available for this account.

The group behind it: blackbyte

BlackByte is a ransomware operation that became publicly active in 2021 and has since functioned largely as a ransomware-as-a-service model. Like many contemporaneous groups, it has commonly employed double-extortion tactics: encrypting victim systems while also copying data and threatening to publish it on a dedicated leak site if payment is not made. The group has historically targeted a range of organizations across manufacturing, professional services, and distribution sectors, often publicizing victim names and sample files to increase pressure. Its listings are claims made by the actors themselves; they do not automatically constitute verified proof of every asserted detail. In this case, the appearance of Dacotah Paper on the group’s site is recorded as such a claim, without independent public corroboration of the full contents or volume of any stolen material.

Dacotah Paper and its sector

Dacotah Paper Co., doing business as Range Paper Bemidji Paper & Janitorial Supply, operates as a wholesale distributor. Its product lines include foodservice disposables, glassware, janitorial and sanitary maintenance products, lighting and electrical goods, and office supplies. Businesses of this kind sit in the middle of regional supply chains, maintaining relationships with manufacturers, commercial customers such as restaurants, institutions, and facilities managers, and their own employees and contractors.

Wholesale distributors routinely hold purchase orders, invoices, customer and vendor contact lists, shipping and inventory records, pricing agreements, and internal administrative files. A ransomware incident affecting such an organization can disrupt order fulfillment and create secondary risk if business or personal data contained in those files is exposed. Because the company serves multiple commercial sectors, the potential ripple effects extend beyond a single industry.

What data was at risk

The only data category named in available reporting is “internal files exfiltrated in ransomware attack.” No inventory of specific file types, record counts, or categories such as employee Social Security numbers, customer payment card data, or health information has been publicly detailed. Exact contents therefore remain unconfirmed.

Organizations in wholesale distribution commonly maintain customer and vendor databases, financial and accounting records, employee personnel files, contracts, and operational documents. Any of these could theoretically have been among the internal files referenced, but that possibility is not established fact. Until more precise disclosure occurs, the nature and sensitivity of the material must be treated as unknown.

Why it matters

For individuals whose names, contact details, or other personal information appeared in the company’s internal files, the practical risks include unwanted contact, phishing attempts that reference legitimate business relationships, or broader identity-related misuse if richer personal data was present. Because the scale is undisclosed, it is not possible to state how many people face elevated exposure.

For the organization itself, the consequences can include operational interruption, costs associated with investigation and recovery, notification obligations where applicable, and erosion of trust among commercial partners who rely on the confidentiality of pricing, contracts, and supply arrangements. Even when encryption is reversed or systems are restored, the separate problem of data that has already left the network remains. The absence of confirmed victim counts or file inventories does not eliminate these concerns; it simply leaves their precise magnitude open.

Were you affected?

If you have done business with Dacotah Paper or its Range Paper Bemidji brands, or if you are a current or former employee or contractor, monitor financial and email accounts for unusual activity and treat unsolicited messages that reference the company with caution. Consider placing fraud alerts with major credit bureaus if you believe sensitive personal data may have been involved. You can also run a free exposure scan of your email address to check whether it has already appeared in known breach datasets. Official notifications, if any are required, would come directly from the company or its representatives; remain alert for those communications and follow the guidance they provide.

AICompiled with AI assistance from public sources and published under our editorial standards.