The names of the victims who did not pay were quickly published on the Lockbit website. Now there is a statement from the security services on the page. “This site is now under the control of the UK National Crime Agency, which has been working closely with the FBI and the international task force for Operation Kronos.”
In addition to the Netherlands, countries such as France, Japan, Canada, Sweden and Germany also participated. It is not known whether any suspects have been arrested. Spokesmen for the British and American services reported that the process had not yet been completed.
Lockbit was one of the most feared hacking gangs in the world. Last year, the group stormed the largest bank in China. According to cybercrime experts from Delft-based security firm Fox-IT, Lockbit also attacked dozens of Dutch companies.
For example, Lockbit hacked KNVB. The Dutch Football Association paid a ransom (presumably more than €1 million) to prevent members' stolen personal data, for example, from becoming public. In most cases, attacks on Dutch companies could not be publicized because they paid up quickly.
On the since-hijacked website, the group claimed to be based in the Netherlands. According to US authorities, the gang has influenced more than one thousand seven hundred organizations in the United States. Victims range from financial and educational institutions, food companies to government departments. A ransom of more than $100 million (92.8 million euros) was demanded.
