Risk and Repetition: The Removal of Hive Ransomware from the FBI
This podcast episode discusses the law enforcement operation that led to the infiltration and takedown of the Hive network, and what it could mean for other ransomware gangs.
The US Department of Justice last week announced a major victory in the fight against ransomware with the takedown and seizure of Hive’s infrastructure.
The international law enforcement operation, led by the FBI’s field office in Tampa, Florida, was announced at a press conference last Thursday led by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Assistant Attorney General Lisa Monaco and FBI Director Christopher Wray. Hive is a ransomware-as-a-service operation first discovered in mid-2021 that, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ), has targeted over 1,500 victims.
The press conference revealed that last Wednesday the FBI seized servers in Los Angeles containing the Hive gang’s “critical information”. The action follows a months-long operation that began with the FBI’s infiltration of Hive’s network in July 2022. After gaining access, the bureau obtained ransomware decryption keys and gave them away to approximately 1,300 new and returning Hive victims.
Garland said the work saved victims $130 million in potential ransom payments. Monaco pledged to put victims at the center of the DOJ’s ransomware strategy and urged those affected by an attack to come forward and contact law enforcement.
In this episode of Risk and repetition podcast, TechTarget editors Rob Wright and Alex Culafi discuss the removal of Hive ransomware as well as what it could mean for the fight against ransomware in the future.
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Alexander Culafi is a Boston-based writer, journalist, and podcaster.
