The US government is offering $10 million for any information that leads to the identification or arrest of members of his group Darkside ransomware.
The State Department said the announcement applies to any information about Darkside team members who are business leaders.
Tips leading to the capture of Darkside ransomware associates, which can help the team carry out an intermittent attack, can also generate up to $ 5 million, the State Department said in a statement. Press release released today.
The US government says it is offering these large sums because of the group's attack on the Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest Companies fuel pipelines in North America.
The attack took place in May 2021, and had a huge impact on the US economy, cutting off 45% of the US East Coast fuel supply, upsetting many businesses and regular consumers.
After numerous threats from the White House in the aftermath of the attack, the Darkside ransomware gang ceased operations a week later, citing a mysterious cyber-attack in which they said they had lost control of their servers and some of their money.
The group attempted to return in the summer, was renamed BlackMatter and re-released in July, but earlier this week said it was stopping for a second time, citing pressure from local authorities and the disappearance of some members.
Security researchers have been tracking the group since the early 2010s, when it conducted attacks in POS.
Some of the first members of the group were arrested in 2018.
The amounts announced by the US government today as a call for information about hackers are not the first:
In July 2021 offered $10 million for any information helping authorities identify hackers who are “acting at the direction or control of a foreignof government” and conduct malicious cyber activities against critical US infrastructure.
In August 2020 offered $10 million for information about any person working with or for a foreign government to interfere in elections of the US through “illegal cyber activities”.
In April 2020 offered $ 5 million for information about North Korean hackers and their ongoing operations.
