The Department of Justice allege that it has seize approximately $ 500,000 in ransom requital made by a Kansas medical deftness to a North Korean ransomware gang called “ Maui ” last year . The money included the payments themselves along with cryptocurrency that the criminals were using to launder the hospital ’s cash .
The operation was revealed in aspeechgiven by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco at the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University on Tuesday . The speech coincided with the release of the DOJ ’s Comprehensive Cyber Review , an 81 - pagereportthat outlines its current scheme towards combat cyber threats .
The readiness at last paid the assailant but also apprise the FBI , which allowed authorities to begin an investigation that ultimately resulted in a recovery of the money , Monaco tell .
Photo: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP (Getty Images)
The emergence ofblockchain analysistools of the variety used in this investigation have been immensely helpful to authorities battle cybercrime . While the supposed anonymity of cryptocurrencies has apply rise to a booming ransomware industriousness , tools like those sold by firms like Chainalysis have helped to unmask that industriousness — allow authorities to scan the public blockchain and piece together the activity of its less savory users .
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