Days after executing the cyberattack against a New York-based law firm, the notorious hackers’ group REvil has doubled its demand. The attackers, previously linked with numerous cryptocurrency ransom requests, now threaten to release “dirty laundry” on President Trump if the firm doesn’t pay $42 million.
REvil Strikes Again
As CryptoPotato reported recently, the infamous group took down the website of a New York law company called Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks. REvil claimed to had taken 756 gigabytes of data, including personal information on celebrities like Madonna, Lady Gaga, Sir Elton John, and more.
A new report indicates that the group is escalating the situation by threatening to reveal “dirty laundry” on President Donald Trump if the requested ransom of $42m is not paid in full in a week.
“There is an election going on, and we found a ton of dirty laundry on time. Mr. Trump, if you want to stay president, poke a sharp stick at the guys, otherwise, you may forget this ambition forever. And to you – [the] voters, we can let you know that after such a publication, you certainly don’t want to see him as president.” – the report cites a new message from the hackers.
Interestingly, sources familiar with the matter noted that President Trump has never been officially a client of this law firm.
The new information outlines that aside from stealing the confidential documents, REvil deleted or encrypted the firm’s backups. Hence, the only way to regain access is to pay the requested amount.
Terrorist Attempt?
The report claims that officials from the law firm have sent a press release, which states:
“Despite our substantial investment in state-of-the-art technology security, foreign cyberterrorists have hacked into our network and are demanding $42 million as ransom. We are working directly with federal law enforcement and continue to work around the clock with the world’s leading experts to address the situation.”
Therefore, Attorney Allen Grubman, a popular entertainment lawyer and named partner at the firm, has reportedly decided not to pay, as “we don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
The report doesn’t clarify in what form of payment the hackers have requested the $42 million. However, given the group’s history with cryptocurrency-related demands, it won’t be a surprise if they seek the payment transferred in Bitcoin or even Monero.
Click here to start trading on BITMEX and receive 10% discount on fees for 6 months.