Tag Archive for: feds

Feds bust Blackcat malware ring

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The US Department of Justice has shut down what it claims to be one of the most prolific ransomware operations on the planet.

The Justice Department said that its Southern Florida District Office was leading the charge against operators of the ransomware family that is said to have compromised thousands of victims.

Police used a purpose-built decryption tool to help victims of the malware recover their data without the need to pay the attackers ransom demands and provide cash for cybercrime operations.

“In disrupting the BlackCat ransomware group, the Justice Department has once again hacked the hackers,” said deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco.

“With a decryption tool provided by the FBI to hundreds of ransomware victims worldwide, businesses and schools were able to reopen, and health care and emergency services were able to come back online.”

Like most modern ransomware operations, Blackcat operates under a service model; the ransomware authors sell off a license to third-party hackers who then do the dirty work of infiltrating networks and running the ransomware code.

“Before encrypting the victim system, the affiliate will exfiltrate or steal sensitive data,” the DOJ said.

“The affiliate then seeks a ransom in exchange for decrypting the victim’s system and not publishing the stolen data. Blackcat actors attempt to target the most sensitive data in a victim’s system to increase the pressure to pay.”

Officials with the DOJ passed credit on to law enforcement in the UK, Spain, Germany, Austria, Australia, and Europol.

According to officials, the crackdown on the Blackcat group (aka ALPHV and Noberus) has lead to some 500 companies being able to regain access to systems that had been locked by ransomware.

“The FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer over 500 affected victims the capability to restore their systems,” the DOJ said.

“To date, the FBI has worked with dozens of victims in the United States and internationally to implement this solution, saving multiple victims from ransom demands totaling approximately $68m.”

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Feds: Ransomware attack causing outages at 60 U.S. credit unions

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The National Credit Union Administration says some 60 locations across the country are experiencing system outages due to a ransomware hack.

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Feds probe $283,000 email hack

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Nov. 17—TRAVERSE CITY — A September email hack netting a scammer $283,000 in Medicaid reimbursement funds is now being investigated by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.

“There is an agent out of Grand Rapids doing a forensic investigation,” said Brian Martinus, interim CEO of Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority.

“They’re working with Northern Lakes and GTI to see if we can recover some of those assets back to the agency,” Martinus said Thursday during a Northern Lakes board meeting.

Traverse City Police previously confirmed the hacker, falsely posing as a representative of Grand Traverse Industries, emailed Northern Lakes asking for banking information.

An unnamed staffer or staffers with Northern Lakes responded by providing the information, police said, and that’s when the theft took place.

Capt. Keith Gills confirmed Thursday that local police have provided information to the federal agency, and that they’re working together on the case.

Gillis said subpoenas have been issued to area banks, their response has been slow and the federal agent assigned to investigate is likely tracking the hacker’s IP address — internet protocol, or the unique number linked to all online activity.

“They used a computer and that leaves a trail,” Gillis said.

This is the second time Martinus has updated Northern Lakes board members on the case, an example of how leaders say they are focused on improving transparency of an organization that has faced a series of financial and other challenges.

The Northern Michigan Regional Entity, which manages Medicaid funds for Northern Lakes, is essentially functioning as an emergency manager after Northern Lakes in September placed two executives on administrative leave and the human resources officer was fired.

Joanie Blamer, chief operations officer, and Lauri Fischer, chief financial officer, remain on paid leave, pending an investigation, Martinus previously said, adding that the decisions were unrelated to the email hack.

Northern Lakes contracted with a professional advisory firm, Rehmann, to take on the responsibilities of a CFO for $45,000 a month beginning Oct. 1, an agreement provided to the Record-Eagle shows.

Rehmann’s Richard Carpenter…

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Teacher From Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Teen’s Social Media: Feds

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Yorktown resident and teacher Giuseppi Micciari, age 27, was arrested on child pornography charges and presented in White Plains federal court on Wednesday, Nov. 1, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced. 

According to federal officials, Micciari’s arrest followed a review of his cell phone conducted by authorities that revealed the existence of several videos and pictures containing child sexual abuse material. 

The review of Micciari’s phone also revealed that he had used an application called Telegram, an Internet and cloud-based instant messaging service that allows users to exchange messages, share files, and hold private calls. 

Some communications contained in the Telegram app on Micciari’s phone included a request for an “account hack” of a student’s Snapchat account, in addition to a question from an individual that read, “what age teen content you have.” Micciari’s alleged reply to this was, “there one big Mega 10-17,” according to officials.

Micciari was identified as a teacher by a US passport application submitted in connection with the issuance of his passport. Authorities did not release information on where he is or has been employed.

Micciari is now charged with: 

  • One count of receipt and distribution of child pornography;
  • One count of possession of child pornography.

Both counts carry a maximum prison term of 20 years, officials said.

New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ivan Arvelo said that Micciari took advantage of his position as a teacher and should “face just consequences” for his actions. 

“Giuseppi Micciari was entrusted with our most vulnerable segment of society – our children. His alleged depraved acts betrayed that trust,” Arvelo said.


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