FBI infiltrates ransomware group Hive's network, disrupts extortion worth $130 mn

It's just another day at work, you log in and realise that you've been locked out of your files containing crucial data. This is followed by extortion by cybercriminals, demanding money for access to your own work. That's how ransomware works and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently scored a big win against Hive, a group of cybercriminals.

The American agency worked in collaboration with German and Dutch authorities to disrupt ransomware operations aimed at extorting $130 million. FBI was able to covertly infiltrate Hive's network in July 2022, and then distributed 300 decryption keys to its victims, for unlocking their files. Those previously hit by Hive's ransomware, were also provided 1,000 keys, while FBI, German Law Enforcement and Netherland's high tech crime unit, took over its servers and websites.

Hive gained notoriety with hit jobs during the pandemic, including one against a hospital, when they forced doctors to use analog methods to treat patients. The group further went on to provide ransomware as a service, through an easy-to-use interface that others can use for creating more strains of the malware.

Back in 2021, FBI was able to facilitate arrests of gangsters across the globe, by creating a messenger app that lured criminals with promises of encryption. Believing that no one was watching, gang members globally ended up confessing to their crimes.