Law Enforcement Strikes Back: Major Ransomware Gangs Taken Down, Victims Get Relief
The FBI has disrupted the BlackCat ransomware operation and released a decryption tool to help victims regain access to their files. The agency enlisted the help of a confidential human source to gain access to the gang's web panel. BlackCat, the second most prolific ransomware-as-a-service variant, uses a double extortion scheme and has compromised over 1,000 victims globally. The takedown has saved victims from $68 million in ransom demands and allowed the FBI to dismantle the group's TOR sites. Rival groups like LockBit are capitalizing on the situation by recruiting displaced affiliates.