The US Offers A $10M Reward For Information On DarkSide Ransomware Group

Things are getting serious in Fiat-land. The DarkSide saga continues with a press release from the U.S. Department of State that offers up to $10M for “information leading to the identification or location of any individual(s) who hold(s) a key leadership position in the DarkSide ransomware variant transnational organized crime group.” Plus, up to $5M for “information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of any individual conspiring to participate in or attempting to participate in a DarkSide variant ransomware incident.” Related Reading | Monero Featured In Last Week Tonight, Essential Tool In “Ransomware Economy”? Interesting. As you probably remember, this group’s software was at the heart of the Colonial Pipeline hack and ransomware attack. It was never clear who was responsible since they offer a ransomware-as-a-service platform, but the U.S Department of State is having none of that. They clearly declare that: “The DarkSide ransomware group was responsible for the Colonial Pipeline Company ransomware incident in May 2021, which led to the company’s decision to proactively and temporarily shut down the 5,500-mile pipeline that carries 45 percent of the fuel used on the East Coast of the United States.” Ok, that settles it, then. Nevertheless, let’s explore. What Is DarkSide, Exactly? To do this right, we have to quote the people in the know. According to reporter and computer security expert Brian K...