Security News > 2024 > August > FBI Shuts Down Dispossessor Ransomware Group's Servers Across U.S., U.K., and Germany

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation on Monday announced the disruption of online infrastructure associated with a nascent ransomware group called Dispossessor.

"Since its inception in August 2023, Radar/Dispossessor has quickly developed into an internationally impactful ransomware group, targeting and attacking small-to-mid-sized businesses and organizations from the production, development, education, healthcare, financial services, and transportation sectors," the FBI said in a statement.

As many as 43 companies have been identified as victims of Dispossessor attacks, including those located in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Honduras, India, Peru, Poland, the U.A.E., the U.K., and the U.S. Dispossessor first emerged in August 2023 as a ransomware-as-a-service group following the same dual-extortion model pioneered by other e-crime gangs.

"Once the company was attacked, if they did not contact the criminal actor, the group would then proactively contact others in the victim company, either through email or phone call," the FBI said.

Previous reporting from cybersecurity company SentinelOne found the Dispossessor group to be advertising already leaked data for download and sale, adding it "Appears to be reposting data previously associated with other operations with examples ranging from Cl0p, Hunters International, and 8Base."

The frequency of such takedowns is yet another indication that law enforcement agencies across the world are ramping up efforts to combat the persistent ransomware menace, even as the threat actors are finding ways to innovate and thrive in the ever-shifting landscape.

News URL

https://thehackernews.com/2024/08/fbi-shuts-down-dispossessor-ransomware.html