CriticalRansomware
FBI Arrests Executive at Ransomware Negotiation Firm
Krebs on Security·Source published ·1 min read
What happened?
Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday arrested an executive at a Canadian cybersecurity firm in connection with an investigation into the ShinyHunters hacking group that recently relieved the FBI of sensitive data on thousands of agents, multiple sources tell KrebsOnSecurity. The New York Times reported today that the FBI has arrested a Canadian man in Pennsylvania on suspicion of assisting ShinyHunters. The Times story did not identify the man, nor did a statement on Twitter/X about the arrest from FBI Director Kash Patel.
Key details
- FBI arrested a Canadian executive at a ransomware negotiation firm linked to the ShinyHunters hacking group.
- The suspect was detained in Pennsylvania while attending a cyber insurance conference.
- Court records charge the defendant with conspiracy to threaten to impair confidentiality of information to extort money.
- ShinyHunters has extorted over $70 million from victims this year using phishing and stolen credentials.
- The FBI's ShinyHunters investigation has been centralized at a field office in Texas.
- Dutch police arrested Pepijn van der Stap last month in connection with the ShinyHunters investigation.
Affected
- Cypfer, a Canadian security company and major sponsor of the Cyber Risk Summit.
- CyberSteward, another Canadian security firm associated with the arrested executive.
What to look for
- ShinyHunters uses phishing and stolen credentials to access SaaS corporate accounts.
- The group threatens to publish stolen data unless a ransom is paid.
- ShinyHunters stole sensitive FBI agent data from the agency's online recruitment portal.
Summarised by SecOraLens from Krebs on Security. Always read the original source before acting. How SecOraLens verifies advisories.