Copies of Colonial Pipeline in Bitcoin Seized by FBI

News from the United States (US), where US federal officials managed to expropriate the ransom paid by Colonial Pipeline to hackers of at least US $ 2.3 million in Bitcoin.

Colonial Pipeline paid about $4.4 million in Bitcoin to hackers linked to the Darkside group, after its payment system was frozen last month.

The company was forced to stop distribution of fuel oil across the US East Coast, sparking fears of gas shortages in 12 states.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Monday that the company is contacting law enforcement, allowing federal agencies to track and confiscate Bitcoin wallets.

"The Department of Justice has found and recovered most of the ransom that Colonial Pipeline paid to hackers," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told a news conference.

"The affiliate that spread the Darkside ransomware , not Darkside itself appears to be using Bitcoin to carry out its attacks," said Tom Robinson, a scientist at Elliptic. He told CoinDesk that the funds appeared to have been seized at 1:40 p.m. US time.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) deputy director Paul Abbate said federal officials had confiscated Bitcoin wallets holding proceeds from the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack and it appeared the perpetrators still had about $2 million left in Bitcoin.

"Dana victim was seized from his wallet, and we stop for Darkside use it again," said Abbate, quoted CoinDesk .

Ransomware attacks have been on the rise recently, with a number of high-profile and high-profile infrastructure companies falling victim to these cyberattacks.

In his opening remarks, Monaco warned companies to immediately take more steps to secure their security systems. If not, then they will risk becoming the next victim.