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An international group of law enforcement agencies has seized the dark web leak website of the infamous ransomware gang hump as ALPHV , or BlackCat .
“ The Federal Bureau of Investigation impound this site as part of a coordinated law enforcement activeness taken against ALPHV Blackcat Ransomware , ” a message on the gang ’s dark web leak site now reads , attend by TechCrunch .
According to the splash , the takedown cognitive process also involved law enforcement representation from the United Kingdom , Denmark , Germany , Spain and Australia .
In alater announcement confirm the disturbance , the U.S. Department of Justice say that the external takedown endeavor , led by the FBI , enabled U.S. authorities to gain visibility into the ransomware group ’s computer to clutch “ several site ” that ALPHV mesh .
The FBI also released a decryption tool that has already enable more than 500 ALPHV ransomware victims to rejuvenate their system . ( The regime ’s search endorsement put the number at 400 victims . ) The FBI said it worked with dozens of victim in the United States , spare them from paying ransom money need summate around $ 68 million .
The government ’s promulgation say ALPHV compromised the connection of more than 1,000 victims globally to earn hundreds of millions of dollar . The gang has targeted U.S. critical base , including authorities facilities , parking brake services , defense industrial base companies , vital manufacturing , and health care and public wellness facility — as well as other corporations , schools and government activity entities , accord to the DOJ .
agree tothe regime ’s search warrant , the FBI say it engaged with a “ secret human source ” tight to the ransomware gang , who provide agent with credentials to get at ALPHV / BlackCat ’s affiliate panel used for managing the gang ’s victim .
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The Department of State previously said it willreward peoplewith selective information “ about Blackcat , their affiliates , or activities . ”
“ In interrupt the BlackCat ransomware mathematical group , the Justice Department has once again hacked the hackers , ” say U.S. deputy attorney full general Lisa Monaco in remarks . “ With a decryption tool provide by the FBI to century of ransomware victims worldwide , businesses and schooltime were able to reopen , and health care and emergency services were able to follow back online . We will bear on to prioritize disruptions and home victim at the center of our scheme to dismantle the ecosystem fuel cybercrime . ”
Spokespeople for the FBI and the U.K. ’s National Crime Agency did not reply to TechCrunch ’s request for comment .
Europol voice Ina Mihaylova confirmed the way ’s involvement in the surgical procedure , but declined to comment further .
The ALPHV / BlackCat ransomware work party has been one of the most participating and destructive in late years . Believed to be a heir tothe now - defunct okay REvil whoop grouping , ALPHV claim to have compromised a number of high - profile victims , includingnews - divvy up site Reddit , healthcare company Nortonandthe U.K. ’s Barts Health NHS Trust .
In late months , the group ’s maneuver have become more and more aggressive . In November , the ALPHVfiled a first - of - its - kind complaintwith the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ) , alleging that digital loaning supplier MeridianLink failed to divulge what the ring address “ a pregnant breach compromise customer data and useable information , ” for which the gang took credit .
Updated with scuttlebutt from Europol and additional details from the DOJ .
Why extortion is the young ransomware threat
