FBI Unveils 7,000 Decryption Keys to Aid Lockbit Victims
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Also reported at: FBI recovers 7,000 LockBit keys, urges ransomware victims to reach out
These decryption keys were uncovered by the FBI after a massive joint operation disrupted LockBit earlier this year, though the gang appears to still be operational.
The US FBI has revealed that it has more than 7,000 decryption keys to help victims of the notorious LockBit ransomware gang.
These decryption keys were recovered by the FBI as a result of a disruptive operation international law enforcement conducted against LockBit earlier this year. This gang provides ransomware-as-a-service to a global network of affiliates', giving criminals tools to carry out their own cyberattacks.
In February, the joint operation managed to take down LockBit's data leak website and managed to uncover a large amount of data about the gang and its activities. Authorities also seized the decryption keys that the FBI is now offering to victims.
In a recent statement, the FBI's cyber assistant director Bryan Vorndran claimed LockBit was the most deployed ransomware variant in the world by 2022 and that the gang has caused billions of dollars in damages to victims".
We are reaching out to known LockBit victims and encouraging anyone who suspects they were a victim to visit our Internet Crime Complaint Center," Vorndran said.
[...] Raj Samani, SVP and chief scientist at Rapid7, said the release of these decryption keys is another kick in the teeth" for the LockBit gang and a great win for law enforcement".
The likes of LockBit survive and thrive on victims paying ransom demands, therefore, it's great to see the US government be proactive and prevent this by releasing the decryption keys for free," Samani said.
Ever since law enforcement took down LockBit's infrastructure in February 2024, they've engaged in PR and damage control in order to show strength and maintain the confidence of affiliates. However, such announcements by the FBI damages this confidence, and hopefully we'll soon see the end of the LockBit ransomware group."
Not everyone is so optimistic however. Ricardo Villadiego, the founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Lumu, told SiliconRepublic.com recently that gangs such as LockBit are prepared for these potential risks- evident by the fact that the gang was offering its services again in less than four days".
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