the REvil ransomware gang found a new target. BleepingComputer and Bloomberg report the group is threatening Apple after one of the tech giant’s keys MacBook The vendors, Quanta, have reportedly refused to pay a ransom of $ 50 million following a hack into its systems. The attackers revealed their efforts alongside Apple’s Spring Event after Quanta reportedly signaled that it wouldn’t pay before the April 27 deadline, and leaked what appeared to be component drawings for a MacBook design starting in March.
REvil said it would increase the claim to $ 100 million if Quanta did not pay by the specified date. He claimed to have “all LAN data” from the manufacturer under contract, although it is not known how much he actually has.
In a statement to BloombergQuanta has acknowledged hacks targeting a “small number” of servers and said it has been in contact with data protection agencies and law enforcement. The company added that there was “no material impact” on the business, although it did not say whether or not it planned to pay the ransom. Apple declined to comment.
The hack team targeted Travelex money transfer service in early 2020 and recently tried to extort $ 50 million from Acer in a similar ransomware campaign. He also attacked companies like Asteelflash and Pierre Fabre for smaller amounts amounting to “only” $ 25 million. High demands can be a negotiating tactic, researchers say BleepingComputer – REvil can still walk away with huge sums if it accepts a lower payment.
Whether Apple and Quanta concede or not, the incident illustrates the growing ambitions of ransomware groups. In addition to leading companies, they have held municipal governments for ransom and have left organizations scrambling to pay millions or risk serious damage. Don’t expect the perpetrators to be arrested anytime soon, either. In addition to covering their tracks (e.g. by operating on the dark web), they frequently operate in Russia (as REvil does) or other countries that do not always crack down on hackers targeting foreign entities.
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