Ransomware group LockBit is disrupted by a global police operation that includes 2 arrests

By JILL LAWLESS and KELVIN CHAN
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Law enforcement agencies say they have infiltrated and disrupted a prolific ransomware syndicate behind cyberattacks around the world. Britain’s National Crime Agency says it led an international operation targeting LockBit, which provides ransomware as a service to so-called affiliates who infect victim networks with the computer-crippling malware and negotiate ransoms. The group has been linked to thousands of attacks since 2019. Hours before the announcement, the front page of LockBit’s site was replaced with the words “this site is now under control of law enforcement.” The operation aimed to steal all of LockBit’s data and then destroy its infrastructure.