An international group of law enforcement agencies has taken over the dark web leak site of the notorious ransomware gang known as ALPHV or BlackCat.
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation seized this site as part of a coordinated law enforcement action taken against ALPHV Blackcat Ransomware,” a message on the gang's dark web leak site, seen by TechCrunch, now reads.
According to Splash, law enforcement agencies from the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia also participated in the takedown operation.
Spokespeople for the FBI and the U.K. National Crime Agency did not immediately respond to TechCrunch's requests for comment.
The ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware gang has been one of the most active and destructive in recent years. ALPHV, believed to be the successor to the now-defunct REvil hacking group, claims to have compromised several high-profile victims, including news-sharing site Reddit, healthcare company Norton, and the UK's Barts Health NHS Trust. .
In recent months, the group's tactics have become increasingly aggressive. In November, ALPHV filed a complaint, the first of its kind, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alleging that digital loan provider MeridianLink failed to disclose what the gang called “a significant violation that compromises customer data and operational information.” ” for which the gang took credit.
The State Department previously said it will reward people with information “about Blackcat, its affiliates or activities.”
This is a developing story…
