Cisco shuts down a major ransomware campaign2015-10-07 15:25 by DanielaTags: Cisco, Level 3, ransomware
Cisco has recently announced that its Talos security unit in collaboration with Level 3 Communications Inc. had successfully disabled a distributor of the Angler ransomware exploit kit. It is supposed to have targeted 90,000 victims a day and generated $30 million to $60 million a year for hackers. "This is a significant blow to the emerging hacker economy where ransomware and the black market sale of stolen IP, credit card info and personally identifiable information (PII) are generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually," Talos researchers wrote in a report about the takedown. Being a ransomware, Angler encrypted victims' machines until they paid a sum – a ransom - to have them decrypted.Angler is considered to be one of the most advanced exploit kits on the market. It has been linked to several highprofile ransomware campaigns, including both CryptoWall and TeslaCrypt. The Angler Exploit Kit used proxy servers of Dallas based service provider Limestone Networks. These servers were not compromised but were bought using stolen credit cards. Over 815 such servers were purchased, and after the credit card owners requested charge-backs, Limestone Networks eventually lost around $10,000 / €8,900 each month while the campaign went on. Read the full Reuters story -here-
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