Agencies-Gaza post
US presents $15M in rewards for Russia-based Conti ransomware group information
State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Friday that the United States offered rewards totaling as much as $15 million for information on the Russia-based Conti ransomware group.
The prizes have $10 million for the “identification and/or location” of key leaders of the group and $5 million for information leading to the arrest of anyone participating in a “Conti variant ransomware incident.”
Price stated, “In offering this reward, the United States demonstrates its commitment to protecting potential ransomware victims around the world from exploitation by cybercriminals.” The reward is presented under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.
The FBI evaluates at least 1,000 victims have made in surplus of $150 million in ransomware costs to the Conti group, making its ransomware variant the costliest ever documented.
Last month, CNBC said that the Conti group had been injured by leaks detailing its size, leadership, and business operations, as well as the source code of its ransomware. The leaks appeared to be an act of revenge poked by Conti’s support of the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
Besides, in April, Bleeping Computer said that a new malware loader called Bumblebee was probably the latest development of the Conti Group, returning the BazarLoader backdoor used to deliver ransomware payloads.
The emergence of Bumblebee in phishing movements overlapped with a drop in using BazarLoader for delivering file-encrypting malware, according to investigators.
Source: HERE
