FBI Reveals 7,000 Decryption Keys to Combat LockBit Ransomware

In a major development against cybercrime, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has disclosed the recovery of over 7,000 decryption keys to assist victims of the notorious LockBit ransomware gang. This revelation follows a disruptive international law enforcement operation against LockBit earlier this year.

In February 2024, an international law enforcement effort, codenamed Operation Cronos, targeted LockBit’s infrastructure. 

This operation led to the takedown of LockBit’s data leak website and the seizure of 34 servers containing extensive data on the gang’s activities. Investigators uncovered more than 2,500 decryption keys from these servers, which the FBI is now offering to victims. The data gathered also facilitated the development of a free decryption tool for the LockBit 3.0 Black Ransomware. 

LockBit operates a ransomware-as-a-service model, providing tools to a network of affiliates who carry out cyberattacks globally. By 2022, LockBit had become the most deployed ransomware variant worldwide, causing billions of dollars in damages to victims, according to Bryan Vorndran, the FBI’s cyber assistant director. 

Further he said, “These LockBit scams run the way local thugs used to demand ‘protection money’ from storefront businesses. LockBit affiliates steal and encrypt data, demanding pa

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