Hackers linked to Russia reportedly demand $70 million from companies hit by cyberattack
A man types on a computer keyboard in Warsaw in this February 28, 2013 illustration file picture
Hackers behind the mass attack which affected hundreds of companies on Friday have reportedly demanded $70 million to restore the data, according to a dark web posting.
Currently, the hacker groups is holding the data ransom and the demand was posted on a blog commonly used by REvil, a cybercrime gang linked to Russia.
REvil gang is considered one of the world’s most prolific extortionists. According to Reuters, the gang runs on an affiliate structure, which makes it difficult for analysts to decipher who represents the group.
According to Allan Liska from acybersecurity firm called Recorded Future, the message “almost certainly” emerged from REvil.
On Friday, the hacking group broke into Kaseya, an information technology firm based out of Miami. They used the firm’s access to breach some of its clients’ clients. Quickly, a chain reaction was set off which paralysed hundreds of firms worldwide.
A Kaseya executive told Reuters that they were aware of the ransom demand, but did not add more. According to cybersecurity firm ESET, at least 12 different countries were affected by the hack.
One known case of this hack’s disruption spilling into the public domain was recorded in Sweden when grocery store chain Coop was forced to shut hundreds of its stories on Saturday after its cash registers were knocked offline after the attack.
The White House on Sunday said that it was reaching out the victims of the hack in hopes of “providing assistance based upon an assessment of national risk”. The intrusion’s impact is still being assessed.
Most organisations that were hit include schools, small public-sector bodies, credit unions, accountants, travel organisations etc, as reported by Reuters.
Last month, REvil attacked the systems of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, whose production was disrupted last month. Most hackers seeking ransom have favoured more focused takedowns against sole high-value targets. JBS claims that it ended up paying $11 million to the hackers.