In the latest update, four editors at Information Security Media Group discuss the intriguing insights exposed by the leak of ransomware gang Conti's internal communications, the U.S. Treasury's first-ever sanctions on a cryptocurrency mixer and the latest cyber activity in Russia's hybrid war.
The U.S. Department of State is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification or location of any individual who holds a key leadership position in the Conti ransomware variant transnational organized crime group.
The Conti ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for the March 31 cyberattack on German wind turbine manufacturer Nordex, which was forced to turn off its IT systems at multiple locations across several business units. The Russia-linked threat group has added Nordex as a victim on its leak site.
Ransomware groups such as Conti are beginning to move away from encrypting systems. Instead, they are stealing data, especially from public companies, and threatening to leak it publicly to extort ransom payments, says cybercrime expert Vitali Kremez, CEO of AdvIntel.
The Conti ransomware group officially pulled the plug on its operation in May. But experts say the group's activities have continued in the form of numerous already-launched subsidiaries or spinoffs, which appear to include Alphv/BlackCat, AvosLocker, Black Basta and HelloKitty, among others.
The Conti ransomware group has been targeting the U.S. and its allies since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. But in the latest large-scale attack on a single country, Conti has reportedly targeted at least five Costa Rican government agencies and leaked nearly 40GB of exfiltrated data.
The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report investigates the reboot of ransomware group Conti, which supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also discusses why paying ransomware actors is a "business decision" and how to respond to the talent shortage in the financial sector.
Ransomware group Conti, which has been holding to ransom crypto-locked Costa Rican government systems since April, has claimed on its leak site Conti News that it has "insiders" in the country's government, and that they are working toward the compromise of "other systems."
The massive leak of internal communications from the Conti ransomware group has highlighted the extent to which cybercrime syndicates regularly beg, borrow, steal or sometimes even partner or collaborate, all in pursuit of increasing their illicit profits.
Despite the recent leak of internal communications and code from the Conti ransomware group, the criminal enterprise appears to have continued operations without breaking stride, in part thanks to constant innovation, security researchers report.
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