Hackers Behind Colonial Pipeline Attack Reportedly Received $90 Million In Bitcoin Before Shutting Down (cnbc.com) 60
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: DarkSide, the hacker group behind the recent Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, received a total of $90 million in bitcoin ransom payments before shutting down last week, according to new research. Colonial Pipeline was hit with a devastating cyberattack earlier this month that forced the company to shut down approximately 5,500 miles of pipeline in the United States, crippling gas delivery systems in Southeastern states. The FBI blamed the attack on DarkSide, a cybercriminal gang believed to be based in Eastern Europe, and Colonial reportedly paid a $5 million ransom to the group.
On Friday, London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said it had identified the bitcoin wallet used by DarkSide to collect ransom payments from its victims. The same day, security researchers Intel 471 said DarkSide had closed down after losing access to its servers and as its cryptocurrency wallets were emptied. DarkSide also blamed "pressure from the U.S.," according to a note obtained by Intel 471. In a blog post Tuesday, Elliptic said DarkSide and its affiliates bagged at least $90 million in bitcoin ransom payments over the past nine months from 47 victims. The average payment from organizations was likely $1.9 million, Elliptic said. "To our knowledge, this analysis includes all payments made to DarkSide, however further transactions may yet be uncovered, and the figures here should be considered a lower bound," said Tom Robinson Elliptic's co-founder and chief scientist.
According to Elliptic, $15.5 million of the $90 million total haul went to DarkSide's developer while $74.7 million went to its affiliates. The majority of the funds are being sent to crypto exchanges, where they can be converted into fiat money, Elliptic added.
On Friday, London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said it had identified the bitcoin wallet used by DarkSide to collect ransom payments from its victims. The same day, security researchers Intel 471 said DarkSide had closed down after losing access to its servers and as its cryptocurrency wallets were emptied. DarkSide also blamed "pressure from the U.S.," according to a note obtained by Intel 471. In a blog post Tuesday, Elliptic said DarkSide and its affiliates bagged at least $90 million in bitcoin ransom payments over the past nine months from 47 victims. The average payment from organizations was likely $1.9 million, Elliptic said. "To our knowledge, this analysis includes all payments made to DarkSide, however further transactions may yet be uncovered, and the figures here should be considered a lower bound," said Tom Robinson Elliptic's co-founder and chief scientist.
According to Elliptic, $15.5 million of the $90 million total haul went to DarkSide's developer while $74.7 million went to its affiliates. The majority of the funds are being sent to crypto exchanges, where they can be converted into fiat money, Elliptic added.
Heh (Score:2)
According to Elliptic, $15.5 million of the $90 million total haul went to DarkSide's developer while $74.7 million went to its affiliates.
And thanks to Elon that $90 million became ~$65 million. Heh.
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Either those are really expensive dildos, or you eat tons of them. Have you had any problems with intestinal blockage? I can’t imagine all that plastic is good for you. Not trying to preach or anything, but if you switched from dildos to fruits and vegetables, I’m will to bet that you’d feel better. My neighbor is a nutritionist and she tells me these things.
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I really wonder how they manage to cash it out. Because that is traceable.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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Not an association that's good for Bitcoin (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: Not an association that's good for Bitcoin (Score:2)
Every Bitcoin ETF or derivative that gets bundled into a pension portfolio makes it harder for Congress to regulate.
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Why? Any pension fund that anybody should want to be a part of would *only* include regulated financial instruments.
Yep. That's why they can't regulate stocks and bon (Score:2)
You're exactly right.
Pretty much all ETFs today are based on stocks and bonds, with a little real estate. (Mostly stocks). That's why the government can't regulate stocks and bonds, or real estate transactions.
Btw, the next time you're sure you're right and don't want to listen to anyone else, refer back to this post. I may be a good reminder that we're ALL idiots once in a while.
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I would argue that ransomware attacks on for example an American oil pipeline or the Irish Health Service *are* terrorist attacks
"Forced" (Score:2)
they weren't forced, they chose to because they couldn't be sure their billing would be accurate...
Need a few extrajudicial killings. (Score:3, Insightful)
The US (and allies) need to make sure they get the right people, of course, and don't do something as blunt as drone killings but a few assassinations over this wouldn't be remiss. Once they figure out you can't try to cripple a nation state and hide behind what you imagine to be geographic and electronic boundaries I think we'll see less of this shit. They'll still go after some businesses but they'll be a lot more careful in the future.
Re: Need a few extrajudicial killings. (Score:5, Insightful)
Rendition is more effective than assassination. You can't publish stories about how you sent agents to Romania and assassinated a few of its people. You can - on the other hand - publish stories about how you managed to acquire a Romanian and now have them locked in a windowless room for the next decade.
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Re: Need a few extrajudicial killings.. (Score:1)
They need to see examples of how it can go badly wrong for them sooner or later, and the public needs the gratification of seeing evil-doers getting what they deserve. Jail time isn't enough for a crime that effects millions of people.
You could legitimately argument that big pharma has caused way more misery. Still not one person in jail. Instigators of the Great Recession? No jail time there either.
I think you don’t realize that most American politicians admire the hell out of these guys. The ba
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Do so.
of course they shut down (Score:2)
Beautiful (Score:2)
Also:
Beautiful doe-eyed lady
Raven-haired beauty
Luscious curves
Beautiful brown skin
It's perfectly okay to have your own taste for beauty. That every much does not make you a racist. (And in fact I can almost guarantee that the idiot who screamed "racist" only dates people with the same skin complexion as they have, given that they clearly think melatonin level is SO damn important).
It's not appropriate to hire for an accounting position based on your personal taste of who is beautiful. It is appropriate to
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Fuck off, you racist asshole.
They did a study which found the white people use the word “racist” 8 times more than non-whites, and it’s almost exclusively used to project a favorable image to other whites.
Supposedly, its because it’s conveys virtue in white groups, but not in black/brown communities.
Supposedly, its because it’s conveys virtue in white groups, but not in black/brown communities. Your essential taking a word that caused people pain, watered it down, and use it f
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Dont be a McAfee (Score:2)
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if i received 90 million bux i would retire too, go buy a south pacific island and populate it with beautiful brown skinned island girls to serve me pina coladas on the beach while i relax in the sun,
K, thanks for the info.
I blame the hack on Colonial carelessness (Score:2)
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Ah, a fellow intellectual who blames the victim. Perhaps his skirt was a little too revealing.
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I wonder if publishing a need for cybersecurity experts is just painting a target on yourself.
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If the credit union doesn't have proper backups, they should be sued. That is gross negligence.
MacGruff seyz: (Score:2)
Remember, kids... crime does pay - and sometimes, very handsomely!
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Tracked via Exchanges (Score:2)
If the wallets were drained and crypto converted to fiat currency via crypto exchanges, why can't Interpol identify the perpetrators from the bank accounts?
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Converted to fiat (Score:3)
At the end of the day, these 'currencies of the future' still get converted into rubles, or won, or renminbi. Why can't the evil doers just go to the used car lot and buy a Porsche with their winnings? Because Bitcoin and the like are not digital currencies, they are digital derivatives, like frozen orange juice futures. At best.
At worst their primary function outside of speculation is of course money laundering, with the expectation that there is pseudo-anonymity. And I am hoping that the same, not too exhaustive, techniques used to track these joker's wallets can be automated to quickly identify and zap other ransomware outfits.
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I mean, it's hard to cash out millions anywhere, especially if you got your currency with the power of crime.
For me, however, I've never had any issues spending my non-criminally earned bitcoin on newegg. I'm typing on a computer bought with bitcoin right now, in fact.
Re: Converted to fiat (Score:1)
Those Automated Techniques (Score:2)
Let’s suppose, for example, that you’re Tesla Motors and someone steps up and offers you BTC for the most expensive Model S you sell, with all the most expensive options fitted. As the seller of the vehicle, the last thing you want to be doing is the equivalent of “receiving
Yanno (Score:2)
We've been taught all our lives that " Crime doesn't pay ".
Apparently, we've been lied to as it seems to pay a hell of a lot better than " doing the right thing ". :|
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Because it's "digital". No more, no less.