Millions of dollars in Bitcoin ransom seized from Colonial Pipeline hackers

<p>Millions of dollars in Bitcoin paid to hackers after the Colonial Pipeline cyber attack have been recovered by the US government.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://news.sky.com/story/colonial-pipeline-cyber-attack-us-drivers-warned-not-to-panic-buy-petrol-amid-shortages-in-eastern-states-12303710" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The attack</a></strong> prompted the shutdown of the east coast fuel pipeline last month and a $4.4m (£3.1m) payment was made to Russia-based DarkSide attackers.</p> <p>Officials confirmed on Monday that 63.7 bitcoins, valued at approximately $2.3m (£1.62m), had now been recovered.</p> <div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-article-image"> <figure class="sdc-article-image__figure"> <div class="sdc-article-image__wrapper" data-aspect-ratio="16/9"> <img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/768x432/skynews-colonial-pipeline-company_5376906.jpg?20210510133006" srcset="https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/384x216/skynews-colonial-pipeline-company_5376906.jpg?20210510133006 380w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/768x432/skynews-colonial-pipeline-company_5376906.jpg?20210510133006 760w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/1600x900/skynews-colonial-pipeline-company_5376906.jpg?20210510133006 1024w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/2048x1152/skynews-colonial-pipeline-company_5376906.jpg?20210510133006 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt=" "> </div><figcaption class="sdc-article-image__caption"> <span class="sdc-article-image__visually-hidden">Image:</span><br /> <span class="sdc-article-image__caption-text">The Colonial pipeline runs 5,500 miles from Texas and along the US east coast</span><br /> </figcaption></figure> </div> <p>Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said: “DarkSide and its affiliates have been digitally stalking US companies for the better part of last year and indiscriminately attacking victims that include key players in this nation’s infrastructure.</p> <p>“Today we turned the tables on DarkSide by going after the entire eco-system that fuels ransomware and digital extortion including criminal proceeds in the form of digital currency.</p> <div class="sdc-site-layout-sticky-region " data-interscroller="true" data-format="floated-mpu" data-role="sticky-region" data-component-name="sdc-site-layout"> <div class="sdc-site-layout-sticky-region__target"> <div class="sdc-site-layout-sticky-region__mask"> <div class="sdc-site-layout-sticky-region__content"> <div class="sdc-site-au-wrapper "> <div class="sdc-site-au site-component-vertical-margin" data-ad-format="mpu-1" data-type="" aria-hidden="true"> <p> <span class="sdc-site-au__label-text" data-label-text="Advertisement">Advertisement</span> </p> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> <p>“We will continue to use all of our tools and resources to increase the costs and consequences of ransomware attacks.”</p> <p>Ms Monaco said it was the first operation by the recently created ransomware and digital extortion task force.</p> <div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-article-related-stories" data-component-name="sdc-article-related-stories"> <div class="sdc-article-related-stories__content"> <h3 class="sdc-article-related-stories__title">More from US</h3> </p></div> </div> <p>According to an affidavit on Monday, the FBI had obtained a private key to unlock the hackers’ Bitcoin wallet</p> <div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-article-image"> <figure class="sdc-article-image__figure"> <div class="sdc-article-image__wrapper" data-aspect-ratio="16/9"> <img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/768x432/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5379413.jpg?20210512193137" srcset="https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/384x216/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5379413.jpg?20210512193137 380w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/768x432/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5379413.jpg?20210512193137 760w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/1600x900/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5379413.jpg?20210512193137 1024w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/2048x1152/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5379413.jpg?20210512193137 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="People are being told not to use plastic bags to fill up petrol, instead only using approved containers. Pic AP"> </div><figcaption class="sdc-article-image__caption"> <span class="sdc-article-image__visually-hidden">Image:</span><br /> <span class="sdc-article-image__caption-text">The shutdown caused prices to hit a near seven-year high. Pic AP</span><br /> </figcaption></figure> </div> <div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-article-image"> <figure class="sdc-article-image__figure"> <div class="sdc-article-image__wrapper" data-aspect-ratio="16/9"> <img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/768x432/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5378094.jpg?20210511173710" srcset="https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/384x216/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5378094.jpg?20210511173710 380w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/768x432/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5378094.jpg?20210511173710 760w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/1600x900/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5378094.jpg?20210511173710 1024w, https://e3.365dm.com/21/05/2048x1152/skynews-colonial-pipeline-united-states_5378094.jpg?20210511173710 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Petrol stations up and down the East Coast are suffering from fuel shortages after the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. Pic AP"> </div><figcaption class="sdc-article-image__caption"> <span class="sdc-article-image__visually-hidden">Image:</span><br /> <span class="sdc-article-image__caption-text">Pic: AP</span><br /> </figcaption></figure> </div> <p>Cyber criminals targeted the Colonial Pipeline – the most important in the US – on 7 May, and the temporary shutdown caused prices to spike to their highest level in nearly seven years.</p> <p>North Carolina entered a state of emergency and some petrol stations in Virginia ran out of fuel.</p> <p>People were urged not to panic buy but one video showed two drivers fighting while waiting to fill up.</p> <p>The pipeline runs from Texas to New York, providing fuel for large parts of the US east coast.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://patabook.com/news/2021/06/07/millions-of-dollars-in-bitcoin-ransom-seized-from-colonial-pipeline-hackers/">Millions of dollars in Bitcoin ransom seized from Colonial Pipeline hackers</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://patabook.com/news">Patabook News </a>.</p>

source https://patabook.com/blogs/97405/Millions-of-dollars-in-Bitcoin-ransom-seized-from-Colonial-Pipeline