Blog | G5 Cyber Security

US recovers most of Colonial Pipeline’s $4.4M ransomware payment

Colonial Pipeline suffered a DarkSide ransomware attack that forced them to shut down their fuel pipeline operation on May 7th. Colonial Pipeline paid a $4.4 million ransom to DarkSide, which allowed them to receive a decryption key and bring their systems back online. The FBI recovered 63.7 Bitcoins of the approximately 75 Bitcoin payment sent by Colonial Pipeline. With the significant decrease in the price of Bitcoins since the payment, the recovered bitcoins are worth roughly $2.26 million. This recovery may be the first time the US government has publicly stated that they have recovered a ransom payment paid to a ransomware operation.

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-recovers-most-of-colonial-pipelines-44m-ransomware-payment/

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