Issue #4

Hackers Got Hacked

Ahoy there, fellow Netizens!

Prolific ransomware gang LockBit had a terrible week this week. Law enforcement from multiple counties turned the tables on the cybercriminals by hacking them, seizing their websites and servers. Police also shutdown thousands of third party accounts used by the gang and even arrested some of the hackers, significantly disrupting their criminal operations.

Who is LockBit?

LockBit is one of the most active ransomware gangs and has been around since the end of 2019. In 2023, the group publicly claimed a staggering 1,038 victims according to data from ecrime.ch. The gang has attacked hospitals, schools, and banks, as well as companies from many other sectors.

How does LockBit operate?

First, cybercriminals associated with the gang gain unauthorized access to an organization’s network. They then deploy malware that steals private data, such as customer and employee information, and also encrypts the organization’s files, making them inaccessible.

Next, the victim organization is instructed to contact LockBit to negotiate. If the organization pays a hefty ransom, LockBit hands over a decryptor to unlock the encrypted files and tells the organization that the stolen data will be deleted. If the organization refuses to pay, LockBit publishes the stolen data on its dark web leak site.

What did law enforcement do?

Law enforcement teams were able to hack into LockBit’s servers, potentially due to a vulnerability the cybercriminals neglected to patch. This allowed police to take control of the gang’s data leak site, which, rather poetically, they are now using to post updates on the take down operation.

One of these updates revealed that police have shutdown 14,000 LockBit affiliated accounts at cloud storage provider Mega and encrypted email providers Proton and Tuta. Those accounts were reportedly being used to steal data and formed part of the gang’s infrastructure.

Police have also arrested several cybercriminals allegedly associated with the ransomware gang. Two of those arrested turned out to be a father-son team!

All in all, this is great news. We can all breathe a little easier knowing LockBit won’t be attacking hospitals or stealing our personal data anytime soon.

Until next time, stay safe out there!