In a significant victory against cybercrime, international law enforcement agencies seized the dark web sites used by the Ragnar Locker ransomware group. This operation involved a collaborative effort from the US, Europe, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Latvia.
Visitors to the seized websites now encounter a message confirming the law enforcement action. Europol has verified the legitimacy of the seizure message, underlining that it is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the Ragnar Locker gang, while the FBI has declined to comment on the matter.
Ragnar Locker, a ransomware operation dating back to late 2019, has been a persistent threat to enterprises. They typically breached corporate networks, moved laterally within them, harvested data, and then encrypted the compromised computers.
The stolen data and encrypted files were used to apply pressure through double-extortion tactics, compelling victims to pay ransoms. What sets Ragnar Locker apart from many other ransomware operations is its semi-private nature, as it did not actively recruit outside affiliates to execute attacks, opting to work with external pentesters to infiltrate networks.
In recent times, RagnarLocker shifted to using a VMware ESXi encryptor based on leaked source code from Babuk. This action was observed in an attack by a new ransomware operation called DarkAngels on the industrial giant Johnson Controls, raising questions about whether DarkAngels is an offshoot, rebrand, or a purchaser of Ragnar Locker’s source code.
This seizure is a substantial blow to the ransomware gang, which was responsible for several high-profile attacks on companies like Energias de Portugal, Capcom, Campari, Dassault Falcon Jet, ADATA, and the City of Antwerp. In a week that has seen significant law enforcement successes, it’s evident that combating ransomware operations is a priority, with global implications for cybersecurity.
