www.darkreading.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
2606:4700::6812:6b2f
Public Scan
URL:
https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/hubris-may-have-caused-lockbit-s-downfall
Submission: On February 23 via api from TR — Scanned from DE
Submission: On February 23 via api from TR — Scanned from DE
Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOMText Content
Dark Reading is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC Informa PLC|ABOUT US|INVESTOR RELATIONS|TALENT This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales and Scotlan. Number 8860726. Black Hat NewsOmdia Cybersecurity Newsletter Sign-Up Newsletter Sign-Up Cybersecurity Topics RELATED TOPICS * Application Security * Cybersecurity Careers * Cloud Security * Cyber Risk * Cyberattacks & Data Breaches * Cybersecurity Analytics * Cybersecurity Operations * Data Privacy * Endpoint Security * ICS/OT Security * Identity & Access Mgmt Security * Insider Threats * IoT * Mobile Security * Perimeter * Physical Security * Remote Workforce * Threat Intelligence * Vulnerabilities & Threats World RELATED TOPICS * DR Global * Middle East & Africa See All The Edge DR Technology Events RELATED TOPICS * Upcoming Events * Webinars SEE ALL Resources RELATED TOPICS * Library * Newsletters * Reports * Videos * Webinars * Whitepapers * * * * * Partner Perspectives: * > Microsoft SEE ALL Sponsored By * Cyberattacks & Data Breaches * Vulnerabilities & Threats * Insider Threats HUBRIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO DOWNFALL OF RANSOMWARE KINGPIN LOCKBIT The most prolific ransomware group in recent years was on the decline at the time of its takedown, security researchers say. Jai Vijayan, Contributing Writer February 23, 2024 6 Min Read Source: Steve Heap via Shutterstock For all its vaunted success, the LockBit ransomware operation appears to have already been beset by problems when an international law enforcement effort led by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) shut it down this week. Security vendor reports that have surfaced following the takedown paint a picture of a once innovative and aggressive ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group recently struggling with dissent among members and affiliates, and the perception it was a snitch by some within the criminal community. IRREPARABLE DAMAGE? Many perceive the law enforcement operation as likely having caused irreparable damage to the criminal outfit's ability to continue with ransomware activities, at least in its current form and under the LockBit brand. Though it's likely that the dozens of independent affiliates that distributed and deployed LockBit on victim systems will continue operations using other RaaS providers, their ability to continue with LockBit itself appears unviable for the moment. "It's likely too early to say," says Jon Clay, vice president of threat intelligence at Trend Micro, which collaborated with the NCA to analyze a new developmental version of LockBit and release indicators of compromise for it. "But due to the exposure and all the information shared, like [LockBit's] decryption tools, seized cryptocurrency accounts, and infrastructure takedown, the group and their affiliates are probably hindered from operating effectively." The NCA's cyber division in collaboration with the FBI, the US Department of Justice, and law enforcement agencies from other countries earlier this week disclosed they had severely disrupted LockBit's infrastructure and operations under the aegis of a months-long effort dubbed "Operation Cronos." The international effort resulted in law enforcement taking control of LockBit's primary administrative servers that allowed affiliates to carry out attacks; the group's primary leak site; LockBit's source code; and valuable information on affiliates and their victims. Over a 12-hour period, members of the Operation Cronos taskforce seized 28 servers across three countries that LockBit affiliates used in their attacks. They also took down three servers that hosted a custom LockBit data exfiltration tool called StealBit; recovered over 1,000 decryption keys that could potentially help victims recover LockBit-encrypted data; and froze some 200 LockBit-connected cryptocurrency accounts. The initial break appears to have resulted from an op-sec failure on LockBit's part — an unpatched PHP vulnerability (CVE-2023-3824) that allowed law enforcement a foothold on LockBit's environment. $15 MILLION REWARD The US DoJ on the same day also unsealed an indictment that charged two Russian nationals — Ivan Kondratyev, aka Bassterlord, one of the most prominent of LockBit's many affiliates, and Artur Sungatov — for ransomware attacks on victims across the US. The department also disclosed that it presently has in custody two other individuals, Mikhail Vasiliev and Ruslan Astamirov, on charges connected to their participation in LockBit. With the new indictment, the US government says it has so far charged five prominent LockBit members for their role in the crime syndicate's operation. On Feb. 21, the US State Department amped up pressure against LockBit members by announcing rewards totaling $15 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of key members and leaders of the group. The Department of Treasury joined the fray by imposing sanctions on Kondratyev and Sungatov, meaning that any future payments that US victims of LockBit make to LockBit would be strictly illegal. In executing the takedown, law enforcement left somewhat mocking messages for affiliates and others related to LockBit on sites they had seized during the operation. Some security experts viewed the trolling as a deliberate attempt by Operation Cronos to shake the confidence of other ransomware actors. One of the reasons is to "send a warning message to other operators that LEA can and will target your group for similar actions," says Yelisey Bohuslavskiy, chief research officer at threat intelligence firm RedSense. "It is likely that many groups are currently assessing their operational security to determine if they have already been breached and may have to figure out how to better secure their operations and infrastructure." Together, the actions represented a well-earned success for law enforcement against a group that over the last four years has caused billions of dollars in damages and extracted a staggering $120 million from victim organizations around the world. The operation follows a string of similar successes over the past year, including takedowns of ALPHV/BlackCat, Hive, Ragnar Locker, and Qakbot, a widely used ransomware dropper. A CHALLENGE TO REBUILD While other groups have rebounded following similar takedowns, LockBit itself might have a bigger challenge getting restarted. In a blog following news of the takedown, Trend Micro described the group as one that has recently struggled to stay afloat because of numerous problems. These include the theft and subsequent leak of the builder for LockBit by a disgruntled member in September 2022 that allowed other threat actors to deploy ransomware based on LockBit code. A string of patently false claims about new victims and made-up leaked data on LockBit's leak site starting last April also have raised questions about the group's victim count, and its increasingly frantic efforts to attack new affiliates has had an "air of desperation" around it, Trend Micro said. LockBit's reputation as a trusted RaaS player among cybercriminals also has taken a hit following rumors of its refusal to pay affiliates as promised, the security vendor said. Recently, LockBit's administrative team has come under significant pressure from a reliability and reputation standpoint following a ransomware attack on Russian company AN Security in January involving LockBit ransomware, says Aamil Karimi, threat intelligence leader at Optiv. "Attacks against CIS countries is strictly prohibited across most RaaS operations," Karimi says. "They were facing fines and banishment from underground forums as a result of the attack on AN Security." What has added to the drama around the incident are rumors about a rival group carrying out the attack deliberately to create problems for LockBit, he notes. AN FSB SNITCH? Because of this, there was plenty of opportunity for rival groups to take over the space occupied by LockBit. "There was no remorse shown by rival groups" following news of LockBit's takedown, he says. "LockBit was the most prolific of the groups, but as far as respect and reputation, I don't think there was any love lost." Bohuslavskiy of RedSense says suspicions about a LockBit administrator likely being replaced by agents for Russia's foreign intelligence service (FSB) has not helped the group's image either. He says the origins of these suspicions go back to 2021, when Russia's government appeared to take a series of actions against ransomware operators such as REvil and Avaddon. It was around that time that LockBit's admin suddenly went quiet, Bohuslavskiy says. "This was mostly spotted by the [initial access brokers] who worked directly with [the administrator]," he notes. "By August, the admin reappeared, and this is when the IABs began to say that the person was changed and substituted by a FSB operative." RedSense this week published a blog summarizing the findings from a three-year investigation of LockBit, based on conversations with members of the operation. ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S) Jai Vijayan, Contributing Writer Jai Vijayan is a seasoned technology reporter with over 20 years of experience in IT trade journalism. He was most recently a Senior Editor at Computerworld, where he covered information security and data privacy issues for the publication. Over the course of his 20-year career at Computerworld, Jai also covered a variety of other technology topics, including big data, Hadoop, Internet of Things, e-voting, and data analytics. Prior to Computerworld, Jai covered technology issues for The Economic Times in Bangalore, India. Jai has a Master's degree in Statistics and lives in Naperville, Ill. See more from Jai Vijayan, Contributing Writer Keep up with the latest cybersecurity threats, newly discovered vulnerabilities, data breach information, and emerging trends. Delivered daily or weekly right to your email inbox. Subscribe You May Also Like -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyberattacks & Data Breaches Fake Browser Updates Targeting Mac Systems With Infostealer Cyberattacks & Data Breaches Inside Job: Cyber Exec Admits to Hospital Hacks Cyberattacks & Data Breaches Iran APT Targets the Mediterranean With Watering-Hole Attacks Cyberattacks & Data Breaches Zero-Day Alert: Thousands of Cisco IOS XE Systems Now Compromised More Insights Webinars * Your Everywhere Security guide: Four steps to stop cyberattacks Feb 27, 2024 * Your Everywhere Security Guide: 4 Steps to Stop Cyberattacks Feb 27, 2024 * API Security: Protecting Your Application's Attack Surface Feb 29, 2024 * API Security: Protecting Your Application's Attack Surface Feb 29, 2024 * Securing the Software Development Life Cycle from Start to Finish Mar 06, 2024 More Webinars Events * Cybersecurity's Hottest New Technologies - Dark Reading March 21 Event Mar 21, 2024 * Black Hat Asia - April 16-19 - Learn More Apr 16, 2024 * Black Hat Spring Trainings - March 12-15 - Learn More Mar 12, 2024 More Events EDITOR'S CHOICE Access server Сloud Security 'KeyTrap' DNS Bug Threatens Widespread Internet Outages'KeyTrap' DNS Bug Threatens Widespread Internet Outages byBecky Bracken, Editor, Dark Reading Feb 20, 2024 3 Min Read A digital, blue cloud with binary code floating out of it Сloud Security Misconfigured Custom Salesforce Apps Expose Corporate DataMisconfigured Custom Salesforce Apps Expose Corporate Data byRobert Lemos, Contributing Writer Feb 20, 2024 5 Min Read Container ship on body of water, leaning to one side ICS/OT Security DoT, White House Tackle the Chinese Threat to US Port SecurityDoT, White House Tackle Chinese Threat to US Port Security byNate Nelson, Contributing Writer Feb 21, 2024 4 Min Read Blue padlock inside a white cloud peppered with 1s and 0s against a blue backdrop Application Security Critical Vulnerability in VMware vSphere Plug-in Allows Session HijackingCritical Vulnerability in VMware vSphere Plug-in Allows Session Hijacking byElizabeth Montalbano, Contributing Writer Feb 21, 2024 4 Min Read Reports * Industrial Networks in the Age of Digitalization * Zero-Trust Adoption Driven by Data Protection * How Enterprises Assess Their Cyber-Risk * How to Deploy Zero Trust for Remote Workforce Security * Proven Success Factors for Endpoint Security More Reports White Papers * A Solution Guide to Operational Technology Cybersecurity * Demystifying Zero Trust in OT * Strengthen Microsoft Defender with MDR * The Forrester Wave: External Threat Intelligence Service Providers, Q3 2023 * Migrations Playbook for Saving Money with Snyk + AWS More Whitepapers Events * Cybersecurity's Hottest New Technologies - Dark Reading March 21 Event Mar 21, 2024 * Black Hat Asia - April 16-19 - Learn More Apr 16, 2024 * Black Hat Spring Trainings - March 12-15 - Learn More Mar 12, 2024 More Events DISCOVER MORE WITH INFORMA TECH Black HatOmdia WORKING WITH US About UsAdvertiseReprints JOIN US Newsletter Sign-Up FOLLOW US Copyright © 2024 Informa PLC Informa UK Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1072954 whose registered office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG. Home|Cookie Policy|Privacy|Terms of Use Cookies Button ABOUT COOKIES ON THIS SITE We and our partners use cookies to enhance your website experience, learn how our site is used, offer personalised features, measure the effectiveness of our services, and tailor content and ads to your interests while you navigate on the web or interact with us across devices. You can choose to accept all of these cookies or only essential cookies. To learn more or manage your preferences, click “Settings”. For further information about the data we collect from you, please see our Privacy Policy Accept All Settings COOKIE PREFERENCE CENTER When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. More information Allow All MANAGE CONSENT PREFERENCES STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES Always Active These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. Cookies Details PERFORMANCE COOKIES Performance Cookies These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Cookies Details FUNCTIONAL COOKIES Functional Cookies These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly. Cookies Details TARGETING COOKIES Targeting Cookies These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Cookies Details Back Button BACK Search Icon Filter Icon Clear checkbox label label Apply Cancel Consent Leg.Interest checkbox label label checkbox label label checkbox label label * View Cookies * Name cookie name Confirm My Choices