Bitcoin ransomware scams 250+ companies, resulting in $42 million in losses.
The public is being cautioned by officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the rapid spread of Akira ransomware. The FBI has stated that this malicious software, which demands payment in Bitcoin (BTC), has caused significant financial losses to numerous companies and organizations across North America, Europe, and Australia.
Akira ransomware gains unauthorized access to enterprise infrastructures by exploiting vulnerabilities in virtual private network (VPN) systems that lack multi-factor authentication. Once inside, Akira proceeds to steal sensitive data and essential information, effectively blocking access to the system. A ransom message is then displayed on the screen, demanding payment. The hackers behind Akira prefer to receive their ransom in the form of Bitcoin.
In a disturbing turn of events, over $42 million has been seized by unknown scammers due to the rampant spread of this ransomware, affecting more than 250 companies. Initially, the hackers targeted computer systems running on Windows operating systems, but investigators have since discovered a Linux version of Akira as well.
In response to this escalating threat, the FBI, in collaboration with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Europol’s European Cybercrime Center (EC3), and the Netherlands National Cyber Security Center (NCSC-NL), has issued a special warning to raise awareness and encourage vigilance.
This is not the first time the FBI has addressed the issue of cryptocurrency-related fraud. In a previous report, the agency revealed a staggering 53% increase in losses due to cryptocurrency investment fraud, totaling $3.94 billion in 2023 alone. As the FBI explained, the majority of these scams revolve around promising high profits from investing in digital assets, accounting for a significant 86% of all investment fraud losses in the United States.
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