This summer, the FBI penetrated a major ransomware group's computer network — seizing decryption keys that saved 300 victims an estimated $130 million, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday.
Cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin but increasingly the more-difficult-to track privacy coin Monero, are the standard currency of ransomware payments. After months of helping victims decrypt their systems, the FBI partnered with Europol and Dutch and German authorities to break up the ring. Aside from infrastructure attacks like Colonial, Hive and other ransomware gangs are increasingly adding a second round of extortion, threatening to release companies' private and customer data. In the worst of cases, the consequences can be dangerous or even fatal.
On Sept. 11, 2020, an ambulance in Düsseldorf, Germany, was transporting a woman who had suffered an aortic aneurysm to a nearby emergency room when the crew was told it was closed — due to a ransomware attack. The ambulance was rerouted to a hospital 20 miles away, delaying treatment by an hour. The victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, Wired reported.
This is an incredible accomplishment by the FBI, and a great example of their dedication to protecting citizens from cyber threats. I am proud that they were able to use their resources and
Good
Floshido to the moon 🌙
FBI the type of 3-letter agency to pick your wallet up off the ground, give it back to you and say 'you dropped this' then walk away before you open it and realize all the money's gone
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