Tag: extortion
150 articles
AI-Powered Bug Hunting Exposes New Cybersecurity Risks
The ShinyHunters group, behind a recent FBI breach, revealed their surprising motive: they weren't after cash, but aimed to protect their reputation from being tarnished. Meanwhile, the FBI continues to crack down on the group, making new arrests in their investigation.
FBI Arrests Suspect Tied to ShinyHunters Breach
The FBI has arrested Edward Dubrovsky, a 54-year-old Canadian cybersecurity executive, in connection with the ShinyHunters breach, charging him with conspiracy and interference with commerce by threats. Dubrovsky is suspected of being part of the group behind the recent FBIjobs.gov incident.
FBI Arrests Ransomware Negotiator in ShinyHunters Probe
In a major breakthrough in the ShinyHunters ransomware probe, the FBI has arrested a key player - a ransomware negotiator - in Pennsylvania, dealing a significant blow to the group that's extorted over $70 million from victims so far this year. The suspect, Edward Dobrovsky, faces charges of conspiracy and interference with commerce by threats.
FBI Arrests Cybersecurity Executive in Extortion Case Tied to ShinyHunters Breach
A Canadian cybersecurity executive, Edward Dubrovsky, has been arrested in Pennsylvania on charges of conspiring to extort money through threats, linked to the ShinyHunters breach. The charges against him include violating federal computer fraud law and committing Hobbs Act extortion.
FBI Disrupts ShinyHunters Network with Third Arrest
The FBI has made a significant breakthrough in disrupting the notorious ShinyHunters group with the arrest of another suspected co-conspirator, bringing them one step closer to justice. This latest apprehension follows a series of efforts by the bureau to crack down on the group behind the recent FBIjobs.gov incident.
ShinyHunters' Teen Ringleader Detained Amid Extortion Attempt
A teenager known as "Rey," suspected of leading ShinyHunters, has been detained in Amman, Jordan, and is cooperating with the FBI after the group allegedly attempted to extort a Boeing business unit. The group's exploits began with a PeopleSoft vulnerability, fueling a wave of data thefts.
FBI Gains Leverage with ShinyHunters Suspect's Detention
The detention of Saif al-Din Khader, a suspected member of the notorious ShinyHunters extortion group, has given the FBI a crucial breakthrough in their international probe, with his cooperation expected to help track down other hackers. Khader, who goes by the online aliases "Rey" and "ReyXBF", was taken into custody in Jordan and is now working with authorities to bring down the group.
Authorities Disrupt KillSec Extortion Group in Global Operation
In a major breakthrough, law enforcement agencies from 10 countries joined forces to dismantle the notorious KillSec Extortion Group, seizing key infrastructure and arresting three suspects behind the gang's notorious extortion spree that compromised around 500 organizations. This global operation, dubbed "Operation KillSwitch," resulted in the confiscation of 110 terabytes of data and critical servers used by the group.
Dutch Police Apprehend Alleged ShinyHunters Leader
A major blow has been dealt to the notorious ShinyHunters cybercrime group with the arrest of a 24-year-old man in Amsterdam, accused of helping to orchestrate a string of high-profile extortion attacks that have netted at least $70 million since last year. The suspect has been ordered to be detained for 90 days in Rotterdam as authorities continue to crack down on the group's activities.
Ex-soldier sentenced for telecom hacking spree
A US judge slammed an ex-soldier for his brazen telecom hacking spree, saying his greedy and fame-driven actions showed a shocking disregard for national security. Cameron John Wagenius, 22, was sentenced to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $295,000 in restitution.
US Soldier Sentenced for Hacking, Extorting Tech Firms
Meet Cameron John Wagenius, a 21-year-old former US Army soldier who hacked into tech giants like AT&T and Verizon, and was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his crimes, including extorting victim organizations for stolen data. He pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, including aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
US Soldier Sentenced for Telecom Extortions
Meet Cameron John Wagenius, a 22-year-old US soldier who traded in his security clearance for a life of cybercrime, exploiting exposed Snowflake credentials to orchestrate a massive data heist. As Kiberphant0m, he and his co-conspirators downloaded sensitive data from major Snowflake customers, earning a guilty plea and a federal sentence.
Soldier's Cybercrime Spree Targets AT&T, Snowflake, Ends in 70-Month Sentence
Meet Cameron Wagenius, a former soldier who traded his badge of honor for a life of cybercrime, targeting giants like AT&T and Snowflake in a brazen spree that ultimately led to a 70-month prison sentence and a hefty restitution order of nearly $295,000. His guilty plea and sentencing bring closure to a multi-year saga of digital deception and attempted extortion that threatened to drain over $1 million from his victims.
US Sentences Ryuk Ransomware Operator to 2 Years in Prison
Meet Karen Vardanyan, a 35-year-old Armenian national who was sentenced to 2 years in prison for his role in the notorious Ryuk ransomware scheme, after pleading guilty to computer fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud and extortion. He was also ordered to pay around $1.2 million in restitution to victims.
ShinyHunters, Clop Feud Escalates, Threatens Broader Security Risks
The rivalry between Clop and ShinyHunters is heating up, with public defacements, bold demands, and technical claims that could have far-reaching consequences for past victims. These two extortion groups have distinct approaches, with Clop exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities and ShinyHunters taking a different tack.
ShinyHunters Breaches Clop Ransomware Site, Threatens Extortion
In a stunning turn of events, the ShinyHunters group has breached the Clop ransomware gang's Tor leak site, leaving a cheeky message and ASCII art of Umbreon in its wake. The hackers boldly declared they'd been rooting the gang's systems since 2019.
Scattered Spider hacker pleads guilty to cybercrime spree
A 24-year-old Texas resident, Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to a cybercrime spree with the notorious Scattered Spider hacking group. The guilty plea, entered a year ago, has only now been made public as prosecutors seek to seize assets obtained through the crimes.
ShinyHunters Breaches Florida DMV Database
A massive data breach has hit the Florida DMV, with hackers allegedly stealing over 200,000 driver records from the state's database after exploiting a password-reset flaw. The breach, which began on September 3rd, has been claimed by the notorious extortion gang ShinyHunters, who are now threatening to release the sensitive information unless they're paid.
Microsoft 365 Targets in Fake IT Call Data Theft, Extortion Scheme
Beware of fake IT calls that can trick you into giving away your Microsoft 365 login credentials - scammers are using a clever vishing scheme to steal account details and hold them for ransom. It starts with a convincing phone call from someone claiming to be from IT, directing you to a fake authentication page.
Rhysida Ransomware Gang Publishes Stolen Berlin Government Data
The Rhysida ransomware gang has published stolen data from Berlin's government on the dark web after the city refused to pay a €2m ransom, defying the hackers' ultimatum. Berlin's government had stood firm, prioritizing the safety of its staff and citizens over giving in to blackmail.
ShinyHunters Breach Exposes 12.9 Million Carhartt Accounts
A massive data breach at Carhartt has exposed a staggering 12.9 million customer accounts, compromising sensitive information and putting millions of people at risk. The breach, attributed to the ShinyHunters extortion group, included a treasure trove of customer, employee, and corporate data.
Ransomware Affiliate Exploits Trust with Fake Recovery Service
A new scam is targeting ransomware victims, with a fake recovery service called Ransom Busters offering to provide decryption keys and delete stolen data for a hefty fee of $20,000 to $60,000. The impostors are preying on people's trust, contacting them via email and claiming to have access to sensitive information.
Contractor Sentenced for Insider Attack on Brightly Software
A contractor's six-week extortion scheme against Brightly Software ended with a guilty verdict, after he threatened to expose sensitive payroll and personnel records unless he received a whopping $2.5 million - ultimately settling for a significantly smaller sum of $7,540.92. The 27-year-old data analyst had been quietly siphoning off corporate data from the Siemens-owned company's network for months.
Uber Freight Probes Data Breach by Helix Extortion Group
Uber Freight is investigating a data security incident after a hacktivist group claimed to have breached its systems, but fortunately, the issue has been identified, contained, and resolved, with operations now secure and running smoothly. The breach hasn't disrupted daily operations, and the company is working to put customers' minds at ease.