A decryptor for LockerGoga ransomware has been provision by the Romanian cybersecurity company Bitdefender in collaboration with Europol, the No More Ransom project and law enforcement authorities in Zürich.
Identified in January 2019, LockerGoga hit the headlines for its attacks on Norwegian aluminum giant Norsk Hydro. It is believed to have infected more than 1,800 victims in 71 countries, causing damage estimated at $104 million.
The ransomware operation received a major blow in October 2021 when 12 people connected to the group, alongside MegaCortex and Dharma, were apprehended as part of an international law enforcement effort.
The arrests, which took place in Ukraine and Switzerland, also saw the seizure of cash worth $52,000, five luxury vehicles and a number of electronic devices. One of the defendants is currently in pre-trial detention in Zurich.
Zurich cantonal police further said they have spent the last few months examining the data storage devices confiscated from the individual during the 2021 arrests and identified numerous private keys that were used to lock the data.
A decryption utility for MegaCortex is also expected to be released in the coming months. It is also recommended that the victimized parties file a criminal complaint in their respective countries of origin.
“These keys allow injured companies and institutions to recover data that was previously encrypted with the LockerGoga or MegaCortex malware,” the agency said. said.
As recommendations, the police department urges organizations to securely handle emails, block suspicious attachments, create regular backups, enforce two-factor authentication and keep IT systems up to date. .
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