US offers $10 mn bounty for DarkSide hackers

The United States announced a $10 cardinal reward Thursday for assistance uncovering leaders of the high-profile ransomware pack DarkSide, authorities' latest effort astatine combating spiking cyber-extortion attacks.

Washington blamed the Russia-based radical for the online battle that forced the shutdown of the largest lipid pipeline successful the eastbound United States successful May.

Cyber-extortion heists impact breaking into a institution oregon institution's web to encrypt its data, past demanding a ransom, typically paid via cryptocurrency successful speech for the integer cardinal to unlock it.

"In offering this reward, the United States demonstrates its committedness to protecting ransomware victims astir the satellite from exploitation by cyber criminals," said a US State Department statement.

Washington besides offered a $5 cardinal bounty for accusation starring to the apprehension oregon condemnation successful immoderate state of anyone who tries to articulation successful an onslaught with DarkSide.

Despite the temptation perchance provoked by the sums, not each cyber-security experts were convinced the rewards would beryllium effectual successful unmasking hackers.

"Absent a bounty huntsman consenting to question to their jurisdiction, enactment their unconscious assemblage successful a container and dumping it astatine the nearest US embassy, I uncertainty this volition person overmuch of an impact," said John Bambenek astatine Netenrich, an IT and information operations company.

"To beryllium fair, it surely won't wounded either," helium added.

Cyber crimes person been booming, with caller information retired successful October showing $590 cardinal successful ransomware-related payments were reported to US authorities successful the archetypal fractional of 2021 alone.

The fig is besides 42 percent higher than the magnitude divulged by financial institutions for each of 2020, the US Treasury study said, and determination are beardown indicators the existent outgo is apt successful the billions.

Companies and institutions look aggravated unit to wage up successful bid to get their information unlocked, but besides to support the onslaught from perchance aggravated clients and authorities who contented stern warnings not to springiness currency to criminals.

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© 2021 AFP