Washington (diplomat.so) - The Department of State has announced today a reward offer of up to $10,000,000 for information leading to the identification and/or location of key leaders within the Hive ransomware variant transnational organized crime group. Additionally, a reward of up to $5,000,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of individuals involved in conspiring or attempting to participate in Hive ransomware activity across any country.
The Hive ransomware variant has posed a substantial threat globally, targeting victims in more than 80 countries, including the United States. Notably, the FBI's efforts resulted in penetrating Hive's computer networks and obtaining decryption keys, ultimately preventing victims from paying up to $130 million in ransom demands since late July 2022.
Today's announcement aligns with recent actions by the U.S. Department of Justice, in collaboration with Europol, German and Dutch authorities, and the United States Secret Service. These efforts culminated in the seizure of Hive's servers and websites, effectively disrupting the group's ability to carry out further attacks and extort victims.
The rewards are part of the Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), aimed at supporting global law enforcement endeavors to combat transnational crime and bring fugitives to justice. The U.S. State Department emphasizes its commitment to working with allies and partners to deter and disrupt ransomware actors, safeguarding the integrity of our economies and critical infrastructure.
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