DarkSide, the group responsible for the cyber attack on Colonial Pipeline, reportedly received over $90 million in Bitcoin from 47 victims before being forced to shut down last week, according to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.
Nearly 99 organisations were infected with the DarkSide malware, which could mean that nearly 47 per cent of victims paid a ransom to regain control of data, Elliptic said in a blog. The average payment per victim could have amounted to $1.9m, the company estimated.
“We can follow the ransom payments and see where the Bitcoins are being spent or exchanged. What we find is that the majority of the funds are being sent to crypto-asset exchanges, where they can be swapped for other crypto-assets or fiat currency,” said Tom Robinson, co-founder and chief scientist of Elliptic.
The majority of the crypto-asset exchanges comply with the anti-money laundering regulations and verify their customers’ identity, often flagging any suspicious activity. These exchanges also use blockchain analytics tools to check customer deposits for links to illicit activity such as ransomware.
“However, some jurisdictions do not enforce these regulations”, and DarkSide’s ransomware proceeds were sent to those exchanges, Mr Robinson said.
DarkSide, which made its first appearance in August, said it is shutting down due to "pressure" from the US government and after losing control over its operations and money.
It also ran an affiliate programme to help other hacker groups in their infiltration attempts. Ransom amounts paid by the victims are shared between DarkSide and its affiliate.
“The developer [DarkSide] reportedly takes 25 per cent for ransoms less than $500,000, but this decreases to 10 per cent for ransoms greater than $5m,” Mr Robinson said.
“This split of the ransom payment is very clear to see on the blockchain, with the different shares going to separate Bitcoin wallets controlled by the affiliate and developer. In total, the DarkSide developer has received Bitcoins worth $15.5m [17 per cent], with the remaining $74.7m [83 per cent] going to the various affiliates.”
DarkSide follows the ransomware-as-a-service model, meaning it sells or leases ransomware to others to carry out attacks.
The group also has a help desk to arrange negotiations with victims and to collect information about their targets.
Colonial paid about $5m to hackers on Friday to regain control of its systems, according to Bloomberg. In earlier reports, the company had said it did not plan to pay any ransom.
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
The%C2%A0specs%20
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Who is Allegra Stratton?
- Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
- The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
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