Priya PatelTLDR:
- FBI offers 7,000 free LockBit decryption keys
- Victims can request a key on the FBI’s IC3 website
The FBI has announced that it has approximately 7,000 free LockBit decryption keys available for victims of the ransomware. Victims can request a key by filling out a form on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) website. This initiative aims to help organizations and individuals affected by the LockBit ransomware without having to pay the cybercriminals. The FBI’s actions are part of an international operation to disrupt the Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group behind LockBit, which has caused billions of dollars in losses worldwide. The government agency encourages all victims, regardless of location, to request a decryption key and avoid paying any ransom demands to cybercriminals. Despite ongoing attacks by LockBit, the identity of its leaders remains unknown, with the exception of Dimitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, a Russian national for whom the US State Department offers a reward for information leading to his arrest.
