ALPHV/BlackCat Ransomware Gang: Exit Scam or Law Enforcement Crackdown?
In a very unusual twist, the infamous cybercriminal group, ALPHV/BlackCat, who has for years harbored in the darkest corners of the internet, suddenly appears to have disappeared.
A lot of chatter is making rounds on whether this is a premeditated exit scam, or a government crackdown on the whole operation.
The story began with a tweet from AlvieriD, suggesting that law enforcement seized the new ALPHV leak site. This comes days after Cybertechwiz reported law enforcement agencies have recently seized control of a domain formerly linked to ALPHV BlackCat, a notorious group recognized for its ransomware assaults.
While speculations of the government crackdown rage, there has been no official statement to this effect. As a result, the public know very little about a supposed takedown.
Blackcat Leak Site was Down Before Government Banners
Information from X hinted at the most recent activity from Blackcat as an exit scam. Before the logo of law enforcement agencies appeared on the site, many open-source analysts called noted that they could not access the site.
Some of the ransomware gangs voiced their concerns over the issue as well. They claimed the admins left them without any information about recent events. Other reports claimed that the group exited the crime scene with a whopping $22 million of affiliate funds.
Further adding to the claims of an exit scam, the ransomware gang offered its codes up for sale. They estimated the price of the malware at $5 million.
The recent development comes just days after it recent attack on United Health. On Wednesday, the ransomware group released a blog post unveiling sensitive information regarding cyberattacks targeting medical facilities, including hospitals and pharmacies across the nation. This disclosure is linked to Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (UHG).
At the time, the fate of previous victims hangs in the air as the gang turns off its servers.
