DailyPost 2935
OPERATION CRONOS
Ransomware is the biggest curse of the cyber world today and it impacts the real world in many ways you would have ever imagined. From finance to espionage to critical infrastructure to intellectual capital to business secrets, it can impact any enterprise in a debilitating manner. Data in all its manifestations remains the main booty to be monetised and utilised in a mercenary manner. In the world of the ransomware gangs more so the state sponsored or state connected ones LockBit is a name that sends scares down the spine of any enterprise or state.
As per the recent news, LockBit Ransomware and Evil Corp members were arrested and sanctioned in a joint global effort. It has long been argued that ransomware is a stateless crime and hence can be tackled only through international collaboration. LockBit was responsible for around 20% of ransomware attacks last year, having several international firms in its targets; Royal Mail, UK’s NHS, Boeing and quite a few international banks. In a major display of international collaboration the current exercise dubbed Operation Cronos was taking place after eight months of the LockBit’s online infrastructure being brought down.
In the latest current international law enforcement action unleashed, to their credit four arrests have been made. It is very rare for arrests to be made in such cases. Nine servers linked to the LockBit ransomware operation have been taken down. The current effort will go down as a major salvo against what was once a prolific financially motivated group. The arrests made include a suspected LockBit developer in France, two individuals in the UK and an administrator of a bulletproof hosting service in Spain used by the ransomware gang, as issued by Europol.
The United States has vowed to continue to expose and disrupt such criminal networks in close coordination with its allies and partners. Authorities ousted Russian national Aleksander Ryzhenkov, a high ranking member of Evil Corp cyber crime group, while simultaneously painting him as a LockBit affiliate. Sanctions have also been announced against seven individuals and two entities linked to the e-crime gang. “Ryzhenkov used the affiliate name Beverly, made over 60 LockBit ransomware builds and sought to extort at least $100 million from victims in ransom demands.
THE RANSOMWARE GANGS NEED TO FEEL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT HEAT ON A PERPETUAL BASIS TO DEBILITATE THEM.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.