The hacker behind the ransomware attack that took down Colonial Pipeline last year was by Russian authorities, according to US officials.
Russian intelligence agency FSB said on Friday that 14 people associated with the REvil ransomware group had been arrested. Wall Street Journal. The group assumed responsibility in the US. U.S. officials believe the hacker behind the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack last spring was among those arrested, according to an unnamed government official who spoke to CNN.
Last year’s cyberattack, attributed to a , had a significant impact on the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies nearly half of the fuel for the entire US East Coast. The temporary closure of the pipeline incited mass panic buying at gas stations and around the US East Coast, which resulted in shortages in at least .
Like CNN notes, the arrest comes after a week of diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Russia over the buildup of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. Biden’s official told the network that he believes the arrest is “unrelated” to the situation. But some analysts have suggested otherwise, noting that this is the first US investigation that Russia has cooperated in eight years.
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