Pharmaceutical company Cencora became the center of one of the largest cyber extortion cases in history, paying a ransom of $75 million in Bitcoin. The Dark Angels attack, leaked information, and the aftermath for the company are all covered in our material.
Record Bitcoin Ransom
In March 2024, Cencora was forced to pay a ransom in three installments with an initial demand of $150 million. The attack, detected in February, resulted in data compromise. In its July quarterly report, Cencora documented cybersecurity costs. The attacking group Dark Angels received a $75 million payment against their initial demand of $150 million.
Ransom Payment Addresses
Crypto crime detective ZachXBT disclosed the addresses belonging to the attackers following the report. Payment in three installments in March 2024 helped identify the addresses. The total ransom amount was $75 million:
Quotes and Comments
Charles Carmakal, Chief Technology Officer of Mandiant Consulting, Google’s cybersecurity unit, noted that such large payments are rare but do occur without public disclosure. In February, attackers accessed clients' personal data, including names, addresses, birth dates, diagnoses, and prescriptions. Chainalysis reports that ransom payment amounts have been increasing year by year, reaching an average of $1.5 million in June 2024.
The incident with Cencora highlights the growing threat of cyber extortion and the rise in ransom amounts. It underscores the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in the corporate sector.
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