In a significant global law enforcement operation, the notorious ransomware group LockBit has been dismantled, with its infrastructure seized and several members arrested. The operation, dubbed 'Operation Cronos', involved agencies from the UK, US, and EU, targeting the group responsible for a series of high-profile cyber attacks, including on Royal Mail. Ransomware costs have surged to $1.1 billion in 2023, nearly doubling from $567M in 2022 and up 5x from $220M in 2019, highlighting the growing threat of cybercrime. The crackdown on LockBit, described as the world's most harmful cybercrime group, involved the seizure of dark web sites, the arrest of members in Poland and Ukraine, and the release of decryption keys. Two Russian nationals have been indicted in the US, with a total of five Russian nationals charged. The operation marks a significant victory in the fight against cybercrime, with law enforcement seizing over 200 crypto wallets and disrupting the largest ransomware group, which was behind 21% of all attacks in 2023. Additionally, over 80 organizations in Europe were targeted in a cyberespionage campaign exploiting vulnerabilities in Roundcube webmail servers. Meta Platforms took action against 8 spyware firms targeting users across various devices. The LockBit group's compromise was facilitated by exploiting CVE-2023-3824.
Five Russian nationals charged after disruption of notorious cyber crime gang Lockbit. π Read more https://t.co/WoeZU8gBQr
LockBit takedown: Infrastructure disrupted, criminals arrested, decryption keys recovered #cybersecurity https://t.co/kA8Nfs0MdK
Lockbit cybercrime gang faces global takedown with indictments and arrests https://t.co/BkzXK50nDR https://t.co/m8hKZCrIDg
Russian-linked cyber criminals behind major attacks on Royal Mail and Porton Down are shut down in global sting: Seven are arrested and three more on the run after British-led clampdown on gang 'hiding in the shadows' in Putin's pariah state https://t.co/QvvMISJChS https://t.co/WwO0FiccKC
β οΈ US INDICTS TWO RUSSIAN NATIONALS IN LOCKBIT CYBERCRIME GANG BUST (Reuters) The United States unsealed an indictment on Tuesday charging two Russian nationals with deploying Lockbit ransomware against companies and groups around the world, the Department of Justice announced.β¦ https://t.co/GVmDuEsODg
LockBit Ransomware Operation Shut Down; Criminals Arrested; Decryption Keys Released: https://t.co/YNVmDhPR4r by The Hacker News #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #news
UK and FBI take over ransomware groupβs website https://t.co/wd9MDvCOpi
US Charges Two Russian Nationals for Lockbit Ransomware Attacks https://t.co/gURa9WJCsj
LockBit gang members arrested in Poland and Ukraine https://t.co/C5ZvSDmnXv
π΄ Legal crackdown on Russia-linked hackers behind Royal Mail cyber attack https://t.co/NxYW1HHTW2
The #FBI and its U.K. partners have indicted two Russian nationals and disrupted the LockBit ransomware group, affecting more than 2,000 victims worldwide. Victims may be able to restore compromised systems with newly developed decryption capabilities. https://t.co/lBVAY4107t https://t.co/Ub2WQbj3Zq
British authorities seize control of Lockbit Hacker Group's website https://t.co/uDB6SltLDn https://t.co/KqBeJl2lWr
LockBit ransomware operations seized by law enforcement in βOperation Cronosβ https://t.co/594vPru1ar
Britain, the US and the EU announce the dismantling of the Lockbit cybercrime network https://t.co/bMxFv6aQZ5 https://t.co/FsNsWU9li4
LockBit is locked up (well, some of them anyway) https://t.co/38vH0jafHM
U.S. and U.K. Disrupt LockBit Ransomware Variant U.S. Indictment Charges Two Russian Nationals with Attacks Against Multiple U.S. and International Victims; FBI Seizes Infrastructure; and Department of Treasury Takes Additional Action Against LockBit π: https://t.co/WBSQF76W6u
Police arrests LockBit ransomware members, release decryptor in global crackdown via β¦@sergheiβ© https://t.co/yFi3Ff8W5A
The takedown of Lockbit tor sites by law enforcement is a big deal. Our data shows that Lockbit was the biggest ransomware group, behind 21% of all attacks in 2023. Lockbit has attacked thousands of organizations over the last 5 years, and collected a fortune in ransom payments. https://t.co/pQvJtRTV3x
#BREAKING International crime enforcers disrupt 'most harmful cyber crime group' https://t.co/7TK0zVGOow
Law enforcement arrests two LockBit operators in Poland and Ukraine, issues three arrest warrants, releases a decryption tool, and seizes 200+ crypto wallets (@serghei / BleepingComputer) https://t.co/4gYpnKf05N π« Subscribe: https://t.co/OyWeKSRpIM https://t.co/xjZXwLhUUX
The NCA reveals details of an international disruption campaign targeting the worldβs most harmful cyber crime group, Lockbit. Watch our video and read on to learn more about Lockbit and why this is a huge step in our collective fight against cyber crime. https://t.co/m00VFWkR9Z
A notorious cyber crime group described by spies as the biggest ransomware threat to companies in Britain has been dismantled in an operation spearheaded by the National Crime Agency https://t.co/P5ctIVRe0B
#FPTech: Operation Cronos: FBI, UK's NCA take down notorious Lockbit cybercrime gang https://t.co/WhYMfLZeTD
Royal Mail hackers LockBit hit by global law enforcement task force https://t.co/cgzXvHn1zJ
FBI, UKβs NCA and Europol join forces to swoop in on hacker group LockBit https://t.co/GwZ0mbkps7
Hacker website that aids cyber attacks taken over by UK-led law enforcement operation https://t.co/P9eRqYNo2B
Dark web site run by ransomware cybergang Lockbit that was behind high-profile hacking of Royal Mail is seized in joint sting by the National Crime Agency and FBI https://t.co/zVLE2sYvaF https://t.co/oMxFfez5j4
πΊNEW: One of the worldβs most prolific cybercrime gangs, LockBit, has had its website and servers seized in a global operation led by British and American law enforcement β¬οΈ https://t.co/zIvqnVmGap
NEW: A website selling services that allow people to organise cyber attacks and hold data until a ransom is paid appears to have been taken over by UK law enforcement. READ: https://t.co/pWb7bcsNDA https://t.co/aAdMWYonS9
Brilliant work by @NCA_UK & international partners - locking criminals out of their own ransomware website! #Cybersecurity helps keeps organisations & individuals safe, but it also has the potential to be a huge enabler of economic growth @NCSC https://t.co/DiVkSiNaBm
US, UK authorities claim seizure of LockBit ransomware gangβs dark web leak site: https://t.co/1WXypTcN9N by TechCrunch #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #news
How A Hacker Group Was Taken Down By An International Operation https://t.co/DtK3NS6WzL https://t.co/rd9ylDe3d9
US, UK authorities claim seizure of LockBit ransomware gangβs dark web leak site https://t.co/gJ8aRG3vtw
British police take control of notorious cybercrime gang Lockbit's website https://t.co/pZvQxCSttU
LockBit website seized and operations disrupted by the FBI and NCA https://t.co/DfhrpdATFK https://t.co/VMVuYt9p16
Hacker group's site taken over by law enforcement https://t.co/CDzPuHIDaX
LockBit Ransomware's Darknet Domains Seized in Global Law Enforcement Raid: https://t.co/EY5oNhKZIF by The Hacker News #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #news
International law enforcement agencies seize multiple darknet domains operated by #LockBit, a notorious #ransomware group, in a major takedown. Find details here: https://t.co/YTYuBoYnk8 #cybersecurity #hacking #malware
In an exclusive interview, FBI cyber official tells @AJVicens that "LockBit will be unable to regain control of the servers the actors were using" after law enforcement seized infrastructure of the ransomware group. https://t.co/Qp2JdRDwwL
Russian hackers target vulnerable webmail servers in Europe for espionage https://t.co/pDdcvrD8rz
#LockBit website under control of security agencies from both sides of Atlantic, according to post π https://t.co/n7P6EyAHzZ
International law enforcement operation takes down LockBit leak site https://t.co/085r239mq4
Lockbit ransomware group administration claims that law enforcement agencies compromised them by exploiting CVE-2023-3824 More information: https://t.co/28v1Yz4L7t
Prolific cybercrime gang disrupted by joint UK, US and EU operation https://t.co/iAttr2fsuX
Operation Cronos: law enforcement disrupted the LockBit operation: https://t.co/6LU5svPG7u by Security Affairs #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #news
International law enforcement has taken down the dark web site tied to ransomware gang LockBit β which claimed responsibility for an online attack on Georgia's Fulton County, where the DA is pursing a case against Trump and others over the 2020 election https://t.co/g67joCGusv
Cops take down LockBit ransomware gang https://t.co/u6YH4s0DQM
Looks like British and American law enforcement agencies have dismantled infrastructure used by one of the world's most notorious ransomware gangs. https://t.co/aoSW7eblo6
#Lockbit is Tango Down! https://t.co/CBd69Nfs63
Facebook warning: These 8 companies are spying on Android and iPhone users via Google, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms https://t.co/IdstdWffnh
Russia-linked APT TAG-70 targets European government and military mail servers exploiting Roundcube XSS: https://t.co/NRBpuqojLO by Security Affairs #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #news
π Meta Platforms took action against 8 #spyware firms targeting users on iOS, #Android, and Windows devices. Their capabilities include data collection, camera use, and microphone access. Learn more: https://t.co/13XQcrgGkq #cybersecurity #hacking
Russian-Linked Hackers Breach 80+ Organizations via Roundcube Flaws: https://t.co/VkouzZhPUR by The Hacker News #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #news
A new cyberespionage campaign has targeted over 80 organizations in Europe, exploiting vulnerabilities in Roundcube webmail servers. The attackers were able to steal user credentials. Learn more: https://t.co/XYrDKWsuf9 #cybersecurity #hacking
Ransomware costs exceeded $1 billion for the first time in 2023, nearly doubling YoY from $567M in 2022. Costs are up 5x in 4 years, reaching $1.1B in 2023 from just $220M in 2019. $CRWD $PANW $ZS $S $MSFT https://t.co/pyeOMYzakz