The United States is providing $ 10 million to detect the DarkSite group of hackers

The United States on Thursday announced a $ 10 million reward for information leading to the discovery of the leaders of the DarkSide ransomware hacker group. Washington has accused the Russia-based group of being behind an online attack that shut down a major network of refined product pipelines in the United States a few months ago.

Ransomware, or “ransomware,” uses security holes in a business or individual to encrypt and block their computer systems, demanding a ransom to open them. “By presenting this award, the United States demonstrates its commitment to preventing ransomware victims around the world from being exploited by cybercriminals,” the State Department said in a statement.

Doubts about the effectiveness of the operation

Washington provides $ 5 million for information leading to arrest or indictment in any country attempting to take part in the attack in conjunction with DarkSite. Will this devaluation promise pay off? Some cybersecurity experts doubt it. “In the absence of a bounty hunter who wants to go to jurisdiction (hacker, editor’s note), I doubt it would have much of an impact if the unconscious body was put in a bag and died at a nearby US embassy,” said John Bombenek of Netenrich, a computer company.

“To be honest,” he adds, “nothing hurts.” According to experts in experienced cybercriminals, DarkSite steals confidential data from infected companies, often from Western countries, and demands money to “return” them. Cyber ​​crime is on the rise. Payments related to ransomware of $ 590 million were reported to U.S. authorities in the first half of 2021.