An international group of law enforcement agencies have successfully taken down the dark web leak site of the notorious ransomware gang known as ALPHV, also known as BlackCat. This coordinated effort involved agencies from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia, as seen in a message displayed on the gang’s now-seized site.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation seized this site as part of a coordinated law enforcement action taken against ALPHV Blackcat Ransomware.
At the time of writing, representatives from both the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency had not provided immediate comments to TechCrunch’s inquiries.
ALPHV/BlackCat has a well-documented history of destructive and aggressive attacks, making them one of the most active ransomware groups in recent years. Connected to the previously sanctioned REvil hacking group, ALPHV has claimed responsibility for compromising numerous high-profile targets, including Reddit, Norton, and the UK’s Barts Health NHS Trust.
In a worrying trend, the gang’s tactics have grown increasingly bold over recent months. In November, ALPHV lodged a complaint with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), accusing digital lending provider MeridianLink of failing to disclose a significant breach that compromised customer data and operational information – a breach that ALPHV claimed credit for.
The Department of State has also weighed in, offering rewards to anyone with information about ALPHV, its affiliates, or their activities.
This is an ongoing story, and we will provide updates as they become available…
