U.S. retrieves .3M in bitcoin paid in the Colonial Pipeline ransom

Washington, Jun 8 (Prensa Latina) US law enforcement officials said Monday they were able to recover .3 million in bitcoin paid to a criminal cybergroup deeply involved in the crippling ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, local media including CNN and The NY Times announced.

June 8, 2021
07:20

Last month DarkSide launched a sweeping ransomware assault on Colonial Pipeline. The cyberattack forced the company to shut down approximately 5,500 miles of American fuel pipeline, leading to a disruption of nearly half of the East Coast fuel supply and causing gasoline shortages in the Southeast.

Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount later revealed in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that he authorized to pay nearly $5 million in bitcoin to the hackers in exchange for keys to decrypt the system.

Weeks later, a similar ransomware attack cropped up on the Brazilian Company JBS, the world’s largest meat-processing company.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo assured that ransomware attacks ‘come here to stay’ and urged companies to strengthen their security after latest episodes occurred in the country.

The White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, on the other hand, said that Washington urged G7 member states – whose summit will be held from June 11 to 13, in UK – to develop a collective action plan to countering cyberattacks.

pgh/Pll/oda / avr