"The US Offers a $10 Million Bounty for Intel on the Conti Ransomware Gang"

Since the release of the Conti ransomware strain in 2020, its operators have wreaked havoc all over the world. They've used it to shut down hospitals, attack governments, and extort countless businesses. These criminal hackers have targeted over 1,000 organizations, earning more than $180 million in just one year. The US government is now stepping up its anti-gang efforts, identifying members of the gang for the first time and attempting to expose their potential ties to the Russian state. The US State Department's Rewards for Justice mission, which handles national security rewards, is announcing new bounties of up to $10 million for anyone who provides useful information about individual members of Conti. The agency has specifically asked for information on five key members of the Conti group: actors going by the names Professor, Reshaev, Tramp, Dandis, and Target. Rewards for Justice has also released an alleged photograph of the person suspected of being Target. It is one of the first times that the potential real-world identity of a Conti gang member has been made public. Conti's unique role in the world of ransomware is highlighted by the State Department's decision. The group, also known as Wizard Spider or as part of the larger Trickbot cybercrime syndicate, is run and organized like any small or medium-sized business. Conti's innermost secrets were revealed earlier this year when a Ukrainian cybersecurity researcher published 60,000 of its internal messages after Conti supported Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The information that was leaked has been dubbed the Conti Files. Conti and the Trickbot group are thought to have over 100 different members, each working in their own department. According to leaked chats, they request vacation time, are paid on a regular basis, and are professional in their approach to extorting victims. The leaks even revealed that the group attempted to create a cryptocurrency payment platform. A separate $10 million reward was issued when Conti attacked the Costa Rican government earlier this year, disrupting more than 30,000 medical appointments. This article continues to discuss the State Department offering a $10 million bounty for details about the Conti ransomware gang. 

Wired reports "The US Offers a $10 Million Bounty for Intel on the Conti Ransomware Gang"