A group of international law enforcement seized a dark web leak site for the 8-base ransomware gang as part of its takedown operation.
“This hidden site and criminal content was seized by the Bavarian National Criminal Police Station on behalf of the Bamberg prosecutor’s office,” reads a message about the gang’s dark web leak site seen by TechCrunch.
Law enforcement in Europe, Japan, the US and the UK were involved in takedown operations, according to the seizure message.
Lucy Snedon, a spokesman for the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), confirmed the legitimacy of the Takedown message in an email to TechCrunch. The UK played a “supportive role” in its operations, the agency said.
Representatives from other law enforcement agencies involved in Takedown did not immediately answer TechCrunch questions.
Security researchers first noticed a seizure notification on Monday.
Ransomware Gang is the first financially motivated hacking group observed in 2022. The group that security experts link to the Ransom House Fear Tor group is known for employing double-expansion tactics in which victims threaten to encrypt and then expose sensitive information. Masu. The ransom demand is not paid.
In 2023, the US government warned that 8Base gangs were focusing on “indiscriminatory targeting” to multiple sectors across the US, primarily including healthcare. The gang also argued last year responsible for cyberattacks in the UN development program.
In a message from a dark web leak site before Takedown this week, 8Base states that he is “an honest and simple pentester.” Like the prolific Clop ransomware gang, 8Base only argued for target organizations that “ignored the privacy and importance of employee and customer data.”
Various strains of ransomware are known to be used in 8Base attacks, including Phobos. Last year, the US government secured the extradition of an alleged Russian hacker who was allegedly the key manager of the prolific Phobos ransomware business.