Ransomware gang Hunters International stops
The darknet site of ransomware gang Hunters International has been emptied and provided with a farewell message.
The criminal band Hunters International announces the end of its criminal activities on its Darknet page.
(Image: heise medien)
You rarely see news like this on the dark net websites of criminal gangs: “After careful consideration and in light of recent developments, we have decided to discontinue the Hunters International project”. This is what the ransomware group writes on its Dark net site.
It is largely empty. Information on companies that the criminals have broken into and from which they have stolen data can no longer be found on the Dark net website.
“Not an easy decision”
“We did not make this decision lightly, and we recognize the impact it has had on organizations we have interacted with,” the cybergangsters continue. Where otherwise law enforcement agencies publish their decryptors for decrypting data encrypted with ransomware after unearthing cybergangs, Hunters International now want to offer free decryptor software to all companies affected by our ransomware “as a gesture of goodwill and to help those affected by our previous activities”.
The perpetrators go on to write: “Our goal is to ensure that you can recover your encrypted data without the burden of paying a ransom”. The polished-sounding text continues with: “We understand the challenges posed by ransomware attacks and hope that this initiative will help you regain access to your critical information quickly and efficiently.”
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To access the decryption tools and guidance on the recovery process, those impacted should visit the official website. “We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this transition period. Our commitment to supporting the affected organizations remains our priority even after our operations are complete,” the cybercriminals conclude.
However, no further information or files can currently be found on the Dark net website, which is presumably the official website of Hunters International. The motivation for this step is also unclear – the perpetrators might believe they are already being targeted by law enforcement agencies and thus want to preventively achieve a potentially more lenient sentence.
Hunters International had found some well-known victims. In the middle of last year, the criminal organization apparently succeeded in stealing 380 GB of data from the US Marshals Service (USMS). This was linked to a ransom payment of an unknown amount.
(dmk)
