Recently, the world of internet criminals has been dealt a strong blow. The Spanish Civil Guard, in collaboration with Europol and other international agencies, arrested one of the key figures responsible for LockBit in a few days ago at Barajas airport in Madrid.
LockBit is not a new name to cybersecurity experts. Since 2019, this group has become the terror of companies and institutions around the planet. Their method is simple yet extremely effective: they kidnap their victims’ data and demand ransom for their release.
What makes LockBit particularly dangerous is its business model, known as “Ransomware as a Service” (RaaS). Essentially, they have provided the tools for anyone, even without extensive technical knowledge, to launch ransomware attacks.
The arrested individual in Madrid, a Belarusian citizen whose identity has not been revealed, was just a member of the group. He was a manager of the Bullet Proof Hosting service, which provides the infrastructure necessary for LockBit to operate in the shadows. His arrest allowed the authorities to seize nine key servers, but who is LockBit really? It’s time to learn more about this group and all its operations over the years.
– Who is LockBit ?: More than 2500 attacks in 120 countries
Estimates indicate that the group was responsible for more than 2500 attacks in 120 countries. Among its victims are giants like Boeing, the British Royal Mail service, and even a children’s hospital in Canada. These attacks have not only resulted in millions of losses, but have also endangered human lives by impacting critical infrastructure.
Going back to its beginnings, LockBit appeared in 2019 and was initially known as “ABCD Ransomware”. Since its creation, the group has grown rapidly, adopting the name LockBit and releasing enhanced versions like LockBit 2.0 in 2021 and LockBit 3.0 in 2022. They are believed to have connections with Russia, although their operations span globally, attacking targets worldwide. en .
This group specializes in “double extortion” attacks, where they not only encrypt victims’ data, but also threaten to leak sensitive information if the ransom is not paid, a tactic currently adopted by all kinds of cybercrime groups that puts affected companies and individuals in a dangerous situation.
Despite this significant progress, it is just a victory in the war, but the battle against LockBit is not over. The group’s leader, known by the alias “LockBitSupp”, believed to be named Dmitry Khoroshov, remains at large. The US authorities have offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest, making him one of the most wanted internet criminals in the world.
