US shuts down major global ransomware group Hive

Garland (middle), with FBI Director Christopher Wray (right) and Monaco, holding a press conference to announce an international ransomware enforcement action, at the Justice Department in Washington, DC, on January 26, 2023. The US Justice Department announced Thursday it had shut down the Hive ransomware operation, which had extorted more than US$100mil from more than 1,500 victims worldwide. — AFP

WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department announced on Jan 26 it had shut down the Hive ransomware operation, which had extorted more than US$100mil (RM422.95mil) from more than 1,500 victims worldwide.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that US authorities working with German and Netherlands law enforcement took over Hive’s website and servers after having infiltrated it for nearly seven months.