DarkSide hacking group apparently shuts down following pipeline attack Lock on Laptop Screen
The DarkSide ransomware gang blamed for attacking Colonial Pipeline and disrupting fuel supplies across the US last week has apparently closed shop, as per cybersecurity researchers.
DarkSide pinned last week’s Colonial attack on one of its customers, which leveraged the gang’s ransomware-as-a-service model to use its malicious tools. The cyber criminals claimed to be apolitical and were just in the game to make money.
Given the statements from the US authorities following the attack, many were expecting a strong response from the country.
We’re looking at how our readers use VPN for a forthcoming in-depth report. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the survey below. It won’t take more than 60 seconds of your time.
“Servers were seized (country not named), money of advertisers and founders was transferred to an unknown account,” reads a message from a cybercrime forum reposted to the Russian OSINT Telegram channel as spotted by security researcher Brian Krebs.
Following the loss of its infrastructure, security firms such as FireEye and Intel 471 claim that DarkSide has told associates that it was left with little option but to shut down, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The attack seems to have precipitated US President Joe Biden to sign an executive order that outlines steps for software vendors to engage with the government in order to prevent possible future cyberattacks.
President Biden also confirmed that the FBI has strong evidence to believe that the attack originated in Russia, but added that there’s nothing to suggest that the Russian government had any part to play in the attack.
He further confirmed that his administration was “in direct communication with Moscow about the imperative for responsible countries to take decisive action against these ransomware networks” and would “pursue a measure to disrupt their ability to operate.”
Significantly, when asked if he would rule out whether the U.S. would respond with cyber operations, President Biden replied with an emphatic “No.”
Changing tack?
While it appears that the shutdown is due to US involvement, some cybersecurity experts think it might all just be an eyewash.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if DarkSide has just said, ‘It is way too hot,’ and they decided to pull the pin on themselves,” said Winston Krone, the chief research officer with Kivu Consulting, Inc., which helps victims respond to ransomware incidents.
Krone believes that DarkSide might simply reappear under another name, once the heat has blown over.
The DarkSide ransomware gang blamed for attacking Colonial Pipeline and disrupting fuel supplies across the US last week has apparently closed shop, as per cybersecurity researchers. DarkSide pinned last week’s Colonial attack on one of its customers, which leveraged the gang’s ransomware-as-a-service model to use its malicious tools. The cyber…
Recent Posts
- It took 8 years to launch a 6TB laptop hard drive but I don’t think I’ll see a 7TB one — WD unexpectedly debuts 6TB 2.5-inch portable HDD that only adds an extra TB but at least it is not that expensive
- Bose SoundLink Max review: size-defying sound isn’t cheap
- Google Search Is Growing Up
- Instagram and Facebook under EU investigation for causing child addiction and harm
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ open-world will feature seasons that impact combat and traversal
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011