July 30, 2024 at 04:26PM
A Fortune 50 company made a record-breaking $75 million ransom payment to the Dark Angels ransomware gang in early 2024. Dark Angels is known for targeting high-value companies and using stolen data as leverage for ransom demands. They employ a “Big Game Hunting” strategy, focusing on large, lucrative targets for massive payouts.
Based on the meeting notes, I have gathered the following key takeaways:
1. A Fortune 50 company paid a record-breaking $75 million ransom to the Dark Angels ransomware gang in early 2024, as reported by Zscaler ThreatLabz.
2. The largest known ransom payment prior to this was $40 million, paid by insurance giant CNA after suffering an Evil Corp ransomware attack.
3. Zscaler did not disclose the specific company that paid the $75 million ransom, but mentioned that it was a Fortune 50 company and the attack occurred in early 2024. Pharmaceutical giant Cencora, ranked #10 on the Fortune 50 list, experienced a cyberattack in February 2024, potentially indicating that a ransom was paid.
4. It is reported that Dark Angels is a ransomware operation that utilizes the “Big Game Hunting” strategy, targeting only a few high-value companies in the hopes of massive payouts.
5. Dark Angels is known to breach corporate networks, steal data, deploy ransomware to encrypt devices on the network, and operate a data leak site named ‘Dunghill Leaks’ to extort its victims.
6. The ransom note from Dark Angels indicates their practice of threatening to leak data if a ransom is not paid.
These takeaways provide a clear understanding of the significant ransom payment made to Dark Angels and the tactics employed by the ransomware gang. It is important to stay vigilant and implement strong cybersecurity measures to mitigate the risk of such attacks.