Gushiken Yona
The LockBit ransomware group has claimed to have breached the U.S. Federal Reserve, threatening to release 33 terabytes of sensitive banking information if a ransom was not paid by Tuesday. The group said it had exfiltrated confidential data related to American banking activities.
The notorious ransomware group, known for its aggressive tactics and sophisticated attacks across various sectors including healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, claimed to have breached the U.S. Federal Reserve. LockBit announced on their Tor data leak site that they had exfiltrated 33 terabytes of confidential data related to American banking activities.
The Federal Reserve did not immediately confirm the breach, casting doubt on the authenticity of LockBit’s claims. The lack of substantiating evidence, such as sample data, further fueled skepticism among some cybersecurity experts who suggested the announcement could be a publicity stunt.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the claims, the threat sent shockwaves through the financial and cybersecurity communities. The Federal Reserve, as the overseer of the U.S. banking system, faced intense scrutiny. Experts in cybersecurity and finance warned of the potential repercussions of a data breach of this magnitude, which could undermine confidence in the U.S. financial system and lead to severe economic consequences.
If true, this could be one of the largest financial data breaches in history, potentially exposing sensitive information and posing significant risks to the American banking system.
The LockBit group’s ultimatum gave the Federal Reserve less than 24 hours to negotiate a ransom, the details of which were not disclosed. However, the lack of confirmation from the Federal Reserve and the absence of concrete evidence left the veracity of the breach unresolved.
@theshibdaily The LockBit ransomware group claimed to have breached the US Federal Reserve, threatening to release 33 terabytes of sensitive banking information if a ransom was not paid by June 25, 2024. The group said it had exfiltrated confidential data related to American banking activities. #cybersecurity #ransomware #lockbit #lockbitransomware #usfederalreserve https://news.shib.io/2024/06/25/lockbit-claims-the-hack-of-the-u-s-federal-reserve/
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In a separate incident, LockBit also claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on Indonesia’s national data center. The attack, which began last Thursday, encrypted systems at the Temporary National Data Center (PDNS) with Brain Cipher, a new variant of the LockBit 3.0 ransomware. The hackers demanded an $8 million ransom in exchange for decrypting the data, a demand the Indonesian government has refused to meet.
The attack on the Indonesian data center disrupted a wide range of public services, including immigration checks at airports, visa and residence permit processing, and online enrollment to schools and universities. While most of the affected immigration services have been restored and important data has reportedly been migrated to the cloud, the attack highlights the growing threat posed by ransomware groups like LockBit.
The attacks on both the U.S. Federal Reserve and Indonesia’s national data center underscore the increasing audacity and reach of ransomware groups, posing a significant threat to critical infrastructure and sensitive data worldwide.
