Lockbit 3.0: Blackmailers offer bug bounty program

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The ransomware Lockbit has been up to mischief since 2019. It only became known as the ABCD virus and was previously called “Lockbit 2.0”, or rather it was advertised with this name by its makers. Now Lockbit 3.0 is probably on the agenda, as was discovered and computerweekly.com reported.

The new version of Lockbit ransomware is described by cybercriminals with the words “Make Ransomware Great Again!”, based on the slogan of former US President Donald Trump. In addition, as with professional, security-oriented companies, there is a bug bounty program.

This bug bounty program rewards submissions that help make the ransomware and its Tor website and communications “safer.” Bugs can be reported for rewards to fix “loopholes” in the malware. Submissions of information that help to digitally blackmail “high-quality individuals” are also rewarded.

Victims of the ransomware whose data is made accessible via the Lockbit website are also given options to delay the exposure of their data in exchange for payment. In addition to Bitcoin, there are also the cryptocurrencies Zcash and Monero, designed for anonymity, as deposit options.

It is estimated that Lockbit 2.0 accounted for 40 percent of all ransomware attacks over the past month. Healthcare companies are primarily targeted, followed by education, technology, finance and manufacturing sectors. In December 2021 and January 2022, employees in the financial and service sectors were most affected, followed by industry, law and the automotive sector.

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