The US Department of State is offering $10 million for information that can lead to identifying key leadership members of the Hive ransomware crime group, in tandem with the takedown of the group’s infrastructure.
It is also offering $5 million for any information that leads to the arrest or conviction of an individual participating or attempting to participate in activities related to Hive ransomware.Â
The reward is provided through the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP).Â
The program, established in 2013, provides the Secretary of State with the “statutory authority to offer rewards of up to $25 million for information leading to the reduction of transnational crime.” That covers areas like cybercrime, human trafficking, and trafficking of other illicit goods, among other things.
Hive ransomware group has been highly active in numerous countries, including the US. In 2022, the FBI was able to make significant headway in obtaining the group’s decryption keys after penetrating its computer networks. This event saved victims up to $130 million in potential ransom payment globally.
“Today’s announcement complements the Department of Justice announcement that, with Europol, the German and Dutch authorities, and the United States Secret Service, it had seized control of Hive’s servers and websites, thereby disrupting Hive’s ability to further attack and extort victims,” the Department of State said in a press release. “We will continue to work with allies and partners to disrupt and deter ransomware actors that threaten the backbone of our economies and critical infrastructure.”
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