PanamaTimes

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

US Shuts Down Ransomware Group "Hive" That Extorted Over $100 Million

US Shuts Down Ransomware Group "Hive" That Extorted Over $100 Million

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that US authorities working with German and Netherlands law enforcement took over Hive's website and servers after having infiltrated it for nearly seven months
The US Justice Department announced Thursday it had shut down the Hive ransomware operation, which had extorted more than $100 million from more than 1,500 victims worldwide.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that US authorities working with German and Netherlands law enforcement took over Hive's website and servers after having infiltrated it for nearly seven months.

The infiltration helped hundreds of companies avoid paying $130 million in extortion demands made after Hive hacked and froze their data systems.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco called the operation to infiltrate Hive a "21st-century cyber stakeout."

"We hacked the hackers," she said.

Hive operated as a ransomware service, meaning anyone could hire its software and other services to help hack into and lock down a target's IT systems, and to process payments. Hive and the client would share the profits from the extortion.

Since it first emerged in 2021 more than 1,500 companies and institutions have been hacked -- their IT systems or databases encrypted by Hive and backup deleted or rendered inaccessible.

The hackers would demand large payments, often in cryptocurrency, in exchange for freeing up the systems.

If victims refused to pay, Hive would publish confidential internal files and documents on the internet.

Victims included India's Tata Power, German retail giant Media Markt, Costa Rica's public health service, Indonesia's state gas company and multiple US hospital groups, according to cybersecurity advisors.

Early on Thursday, Hive's website on the dark web was frozen and a screen alternating in English and Russian said it had been taken over by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

US officials said that by breaking into Hive's dark-web site and collecting information, Justice authorities were able to obtain the digital keys necessary to unlock a victim's frozen data so that they were not forced to pay Hive.

This helped prevent a Texas school district, and Louisiana hospital, and an unnamed foods services company from having to pay millions of dollars in ransom after being hit by a Hive attack, for example, they said.

"For months, we helped victims defeat their attackers and deprived the Hive network of extortion profits," said Monaco.

US authorities would not say who is behind Hive or whether any arrests would accompany the shutdown of the operation, saying the investigation is ongoing.

The investigation involved the US FBI, the German Reutlingen Police Headquarters, the German Federal Criminal Police, the Netherlands National High Tech Crime Unit, and Europol.
Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×