The State Department is offering a $10 million reward to anyone who can provide intel to identify and locate the BlackCat hacking group responsible for this audacious cyber heist on UnitedHealth Group’s tech division.
The Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, engages in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).
The ALPHV BlackCat ransomware-as-a-service group compromised computer networks of critical infrastructure sectors in the United States and worldwide, deploying ransomware on the targeted systems, disabling security features within the victim’s network, stealing sensitive confidential information, demanding payment to restore access, and threatening to publicize the stolen data if victims do not pay a ransom
U.S. Department of State’s Statement
Late February, Blackcat hackers could obtain access to UnitedHealth’s networks. UnitedHealth was forced to go old-school, manually processing a jaw-dropping $14 billion backlog of medical claims as they worked to restore systems.
This cyber attack affected patients have been left holding the bag, covering costs out-of-pocket while they await reimbursement. Doctors and community health clinics that serve over 30 million low-income Americans have also taken a major financial hit.
UnitedHealth reportedly payed over $22 million in ransom payments to the BlackCat crew in hopes of regaining control of their systems. But whether the attackers actually followed through on their end of the bargain remains unclear.
Federal investigators have set up a specialized Tor onion link on the dark web. This anonymous tip line allows sources to privately submit any credible information they may have about the identities or whereabouts of the cyber criminals, while protecting whistleblowers from retaliation. The feds are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to unmask Blackcat, utilizing tools like this to enable truly secure communications from sources, whether inside the underworld or the security researcher community.
The Feds are asking anyone with information on ALPHV Blackcat actors, their affiliates, activities, or links to a foreign government to contact Rewards for Justice via the Tor-based tips-reporting channel at: he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion (Tor browser required).
If you’ve got credible info to unmask the hackers behind BlackCat, the $10 million reward from the US State Department could be all yours 😎.
