For a watershed moment in ransomware history, the notorious LockBit team’s equipment was destroyed during the week of February 19.
Many in the industry took to Twitter to offer their congrats on this new breakthrough, with many highlighting the role of the British National Crime Agency (NCA) in spearheading the operation.
In observance of the event, Allan Liska of Recorded Future posted a picture of the cake that had been brought to their Boston office.
On February 23, the police hinted at a major disclosure regarding the dark web administrator of LockBit, but they did not reveal their identify. On the other hand, information was disclosed on the administration’s ownership of a Mercedes, his gender, and his connections to the rules police.
The latest attack revealed critical infrastructure, including LockBit’s primary platform, which led to the sequestration of their websites and brought LockBit online. Now that a decryption tool is available, victims can retrieve encrypted files.
Members and coworkers of the organization were informed clearly of the situation by the issuance of worldwide warrants and the subsequent number of arrests.
The police’s press coverage veered away from conventional criminal takedowns and instead aimed to discredit the system and its consumers. The success of the technique is crucial, considering LockBit’s reputation for robustness.
This event may be particularly devastating for a team that has been hit hard by well-publicized ransomware assaults in the past.
Malware groups have been more often disrupted in the last year, with notable occurrences such as Ragnar Locker and the ALPHV/BlackCat gang being among the most notable.
This shift in malware processes could be a precursor to a day when these groups will face consequences for their actions.
