In the wake of a cyber police raid on their operations, the notorious ransomware gang LockBit wasted no time in resuming their nefarious activities. It didn't take long for them to bounce back after their "headquarters" were raided by cyber law enforcement agencies.
As previously reported, a joint task force comprising cyber law enforcement agencies from various countries such as the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Europol conducted a raid on LockBit's operations in a campaign dubbed Operation Cronos.
During the raid, LockBit's infrastructure, decryptors, and websites were successfully seized. To add insult to injury, their website was transformed into a portal for police news, a humiliating blow to the ransomware gang.
However, LockBit wasted no time in regrouping. They have swiftly established a new data leak site and accused law enforcement agencies of exploiting a PHP bug to breach their servers.
Furthermore, LockBit has promised to return with revamped infrastructure and security mechanisms, claiming they are now impervious to law enforcement breaches. This is particularly aimed at safeguarding the decryption keys of ransomware victims.
But that's not all. They have resumed spreading ransomware, equipped with encryption keys and infrastructure to leak new victims' files, along with negotiation portals for ransom payments.
According to reports from BleepingComputer, samples of the latest LockBit ransomware have already surfaced on VirusTotal, containing updated ransom notes. The ransom negotiation sites have also been revamped, accessible only to victims of the attack.
At the time of the raid, LockBit reportedly had around 180 affiliates to spread their ransomware. It remains unclear how many of them still remain loyal to the gang.
Previously, LockBit has been responsible for attacking over 2,000 victims and extorting a staggering $120 million in ransom payments, as reported by both US and UK authorities. In addition to seizing their assets, law enforcement agencies have also confiscated LockBit's encryption keys. prepare your self for sodtware engineering .
Despite facing significant setbacks, LockBit's swift resurgence underscores the persistent challenge posed by ransomware gangs to cybersecurity worldwide. As authorities continue their efforts to combat such criminal activities, the battle against ransomware remains ongoing and ever-evolving.
