The U.S. Department of State is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to key leaders in the ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware gang. People with information about any individuals conspiring or attempting to participate in ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware activities can also receive a reward of up to $5 million.
The Secretary of State has authority to offer rewards of up to $25 million for information that can reduce transnational crime to protect American lives and U.S. national security. Historically used to address transnational cybercrime, money laundering, and trafficking, this rewards program is now targeting the ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware gang.
To extort victims, ALPHV/Blackcat actors use ransomware-as-a-service. This model involves developers who create, update, and maintain ransomware that can disrupt user access to computer systems and networks. Then, affiliates use that ransomware to attack entities and demand a ransom in exchange for not publishing sensitive information and decrypting the system.
ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware is the second most prolific ransomware-as-a-service variant in the world. It has already compromised over 1,000 organizations, including prominent government entities and critical U.S. infrastructure, and received hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms from victims around the world.
