The U.S. authorities stated it should supply as much as $10 million for data associated to 5 individuals believed to be high-ranking members of the infamous Russia-backed Conti ransomware gang.
The reward is obtainable as a part of the U.S. State Division’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which on Thursday shared a picture of a recognized Conti ransomware operator often known as “Goal,” marking the primary time the U.S. authorities has publicly recognized a Conti operative. This system, which particularly seeks data on nationwide safety threats, is providing as much as $10 million for data resulting in the identification and placement of Goal, together with 4 different alleged Conti members often known as “Tramp,” “Dandis,” “Professor,” and “Reshaev.”
The RFJ stated it could additionally pay out as much as $5 million “for data resulting in the arrest and/or conviction of any particular person in any nation conspiring to take part in or making an attempt to take part in a Conti variant ransomware incident.”
The State Division stated Conti has carried out greater than 1,000 ransomware operations focusing on U.S. and worldwide important infrastructure, together with regulation enforcement businesses, emergency medical companies and 911 dispatch facilities. Most lately, the gang infiltrated 27 authorities establishments in Costa Rica and demanded a $20 million ransom, which noticed the nation’s newly-elected President Rodrigo Chaves declare his nation “at warfare” with the ransomware group.
The gang rebranded from Ryuk to Conti in 2020, and later sided with Russia in its warfare towards Ukraine, pledging to answer any cyber assaults on the Russian authorities or the nation’s important infrastructure. However this backfired when a disgruntled Conti member leaked over 170,000 inside chat conversations between different Conti members and the supply code for the ransomware itself.
This breach led to the eventual shutdown of the Conti ransomware model in June this yr, although it’s believed members of the gang have quietly moved into different ransomware operations together with Hive, AvosLocker, BlackCat, and Whats up Kitty.
“The one objective Conti had wished to satisfy with this last assault was to make use of the platform as a software of publicity, performing their very own dying and subsequent rebirth in essentially the most believable method it may have been conceived,” in line with a Could report by Superior Intel.
The RFJ’s bounty program was initially launched to collect data on nationwide safety threats and terrorists focusing on U.S. pursuits and has expanded to supply rewards for data on cyber criminals. It’s additionally providing bounties for data on the Russia-backed REvil and Evil Corp hacking teams.
State beforehand supplied $10 million for data resulting in the identification or location of those that held a “key management place” inside Conti.