Cybersecurity
FBI Dismantles a Malware System That Took Millions in Ransom
- Tens of millions of dollars were lost through Qakbot attacks
- Emergency rooms, sheriff’s departments were crippled by Qakbot
The seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, DC.
Photographer: Al Drago/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The FBI said Tuesday that it has taken down a network of hacked devices responsible for extorting tens of millions of dollars from victims around the world.
US officials described the network known as Qakbot as one of the most notorious “botnets” in the world, referring to computer networks that have been infected with malicious software so that they can be controlled remotely without the owner’s knowledge — often to send phishing emails. These emails can in turn be used to hack into victims’ computer systems, which attackers will hold for ransom.