DarkSide Ransomware Gang Extorted $90 Million from Several Victims in 9 Months

DarkSide Ransomware Gang Extorted $90 Million from Several Victims in 9 Months

The hacker group behind the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, DarkSide that went in operation in August 2020, received $90 million in bitcoin payments after a 9 month ransomware spree.

DarkSide is just one of the many groups that operated as a service provider for other threat actors, or affiliates that used its ransomware to extort targets in exchange for a cut of the profits. While also using a tactic known as double extortion and threatening to release the data.

Although last week, in a sudden turn of events, the cybercrime cartel announced plans to wind up its Ransomware-as-a-Service affiliate program for good, and claimed that its servers were seized by law enforcement, and its bitcoin wallet was emptied to an unknown account.

This is only the latest example of how a spate of ransomware incidents are increasingly affecting the operations of critical infrastructure and emerging a national security threat. These events have also turned the spotlight on implementing necessary strategies to ensure vital functions remain operational in the event of a significant cyber disruption.