Impact of Hive ransomware disruption assessed

U.S. and international law enforcement takedown of Hive ransomware infrastructure last week remains significant despite the lack of any arrests during the operation, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Offensive law enforcement actions that resulted in the seizure of Hive ransomware's decryption keys have made the operation a "major win for the good guys," said ReliaQuest Senior Vice President for Security Operations Mike McPherson. Meanwhile, Recorded Future ransomware expert Allan Liska noted that the Hive takedown had the most extensive law enforcement infiltrations in recent memory. "The combination of extensive access and multiple law enforcement groups involved in this operation means that there has been a lot of intelligence sharing from the infrastructure infiltrated and tracking down and arresting those outside of Russia is likely imminent," said Liska. The FBI has already offered up to $10 million as a reward for those with any information regarding Hive attackers. Both Emsisoft ransomware expert Brett Callow and Tenable Senior Research Engineer Satnam Narang believe that the operation could end Hive ransomware although Narang said that it would significantly curb other ransomware attacks.