FBI Releases Blackcat Ransomware Decryption Tool to Victims, Disrupting Attacks
For the first time ever, the U.S. Justice Department announced the existence of an FBI-developed decryption tool that has been used to save hundreds of victim organizations attacked by one of the most prolific ransomware variants in the world.
In an announcement made last month, the Justice Department made the world aware of the existence of a decryption tool to be used by those organizations hit by Blackcat – also known as ALPHV or Noberus.
Blackcat is noted by the Department of Justice as the “second most prolific ransomware-as-a-service variant in the world based on the hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms paid by victims around the world.”
They have been involved in attacks on critical U.S. infrastructure “including government facilities, emergency services, defense industrial base companies, critical manufacturing, and healthcare and public health facilities – as well as other corporations, government entities, and schools,” according to the announcement.
The decryption tool has been provided to over 500 victim organizations to assist in decrypting files encrypted by Blackcat. If your organization has been a victim of Blackcat, you are encouraged to reach out to your local FBI office.
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