Until law enforcement capture the criminals, there is a high chance they will resurface under a new identity,’ warns Mark Lamb, CEO of HighGround after the FBI’s ‘digital stakeout’ of the Hive ransomware gang.
The ransomware-as-a-service gang is thought to have earned $100m by targeting 1500 victims in 80 countries including hospitals and schools – but then the FBI struck back.
The FBI gained access to the gang’s networks and captured decryption keys which were distributed to victims, saving a further $130 million in ransoms before closing in on the gang’s Californian servers.
But the cybercriminals remain at large, warns Lamb. He says, “The infrastructure is just one element of the gang’s success, and until law enforcement capture the criminals, there is a high chance they will resurface under a new identity with brand new infrastructure ready to terrorise again. Do DarkSide or BlackMatter ring any bells?”
“While the takedown and seizing of the decryption keys is brilliant and a major win for law enforcement, the threat of ransomware still looms.”
HighGround.io CEO & Founder was featured in Info Security Magazine with his views on the Hive ransomware gang https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/global-dismantles-hive-ransomware/
