LockBit 3.0, a notorious hacking group, had originally set a deadline of March 2 to publish hacked documents on its website. However, they moved the deadline up to 8:49 a.m. ET Thursday. The timer disappeared on Wednesday afternoon, leaving many wondering about the fate of the stolen data.
As of Thursday morning, LockBit 3.0’s website still showed 12 other ransom timers counting down for various hacks, but the timer for Fulton County was no longer among them. Rob Pitts, the chairman of Fulton County’s board of commissioners, acknowledged during a press conference that the deadline had passed without any data being released so far.
Although the threat seems to have subsided for now, Pitts warned that the hacking group could still unleash chaos by publishing the stolen data at any moment. LockBit 3.0 had targeted Fulton County in a ransomware attack in January, threatening to release sensitive files from government services, including the court system.
LockBit 3.0 was disrupted on February 20 in coordinated raids involving law enforcement agencies from over 10 countries. The FBI took control of LockBit’s website and announced their takedown, while the Justice Department unsealed indictments against two Russian nationals linked to the group.
The hacking group resurfaced on Saturday with a new countdown timer for the Fulton County documents. They claimed that the stolen documents contained information about Donald Trump’s court cases that could impact the upcoming US election. Despite these claims, negotiations for a ransom were reportedly in progress before the raid.
It remains unclear if LockBit 3.0 has any unpublished court records related to the Trump case or what their demands are. The disappearance of the timer could signal ongoing ransom negotiations or a move to bolster the group’s credibility among its affiliates.
While the situation continues to unfold, the potential impact on ongoing legal cases and national security concerns remains a top priority. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story.
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