Hackers from the group Lockbit have leaked sensitive data linked to the Federal Reserve after their ransom demands were unmet. According to Zscaler ThreatLabz, the data originates from a bank recently penalized by the Federal Reserve for issues in anti-money laundering and risk management.
Lockbit threatened to release a total of 33 terabytes of data if their demands were not met by 4:27 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The group posted on the deep web, stating they were negotiating with banks to secure a ransom for keeping the data private.
The Federal Reserve, often referred to as the Fed, is the central banking system of the United States. It was created in 1913 to provide the country with a safer, more flexible and more stable monetary and financial system — allegedly. The Fed conducts national monetary policy, supervises and regulates banks, maintains financial stability — allegedly — and provides banking services to depository institutions and the federal government.
The hackers claimed to possess “33 terabytes of juicy banking information containing Americans’ banking secrets” and criticized the current negotiator, demanding a replacement within 48 hours. They warned that failing to meet their demands would result in the full release of the data, potentially exposing sensitive financial information and causing significant disruption.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency identified the group’s leader as Russian national Dmitry Khoroshev. The U.S. government has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Khoroshev’s arrest and conviction, underscoring the serious threat posed by such cybercriminal activities.
