Ransomware Rampage: ICBC’s 5.2 Million Files Held Hostage by Hunters International

Hot Take:

Just when you thought your bank was only interested in taking your money, now it seems they’re also in the business of losing it to ransomware gangs. Who knew banking could be such a high-stakes game of ‘catch me if you can’?

Key Points:

• Hunters International claims to have stolen 5.2 million files from ICBC’s London branch.
• The gang reportedly swiped a total of 6.6 TB of data.
• ICBC has not confirmed the legitimacy of the breach.
• Hunters International has previously breached over 134 organizations this year.
• Banks are prime targets due to their vast amounts of sensitive financial data.

Ransomware Heist: The London Branch Edition

Attention, ICBC customers in London: Hunters International, the cyber equivalent of Ocean’s Eleven, claims they’ve just pulled off a heist of epic proportions, snatching 5.2 million files right from under your bank’s nose. The only thing missing? George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The ransomware gang says they have a total of 6.6 TB of your juicy financial data and are holding it hostage. If ICBC doesn’t cough up the ransom by September 13, prepare for a data leak that could make the Titanic look like a leaky faucet.

Ransomware-as-a-Service: The Uber of Cybercrime

Move over, Uber and Airbnb, there’s a new “as-a-service” in town: ransomware. Hunters International, a relative newcomer to this seedy underworld, has mastered the art of cyber extortion faster than you can say “I forgot my password.” Launched last October, this gang has already claimed to have breached over 134 organizations. Their global hit list is as diverse as a UN meeting, though notably, they give Russia a pass—perhaps a professional courtesy for their fellow comrades in cybercrime.

Bank on It: Why Financial Institutions are Prime Targets

Why do ransomware gangs love banks? Simple: they’re the Fort Knox of sensitive financial data. Banks, including ICBC—the world’s largest by assets—are walking treasure troves of information. With $6.3 trillion in assets, ICBC is like the Mount Everest of banks, just waiting for an ambitious cyber-Sherpa to scale it. Ransomware gangs know banks are more likely to pony up the cash to keep their customers’ dirty laundry in the hamper and their reputations squeaky clean. ICBC’s annual revenue of $113 billion makes them an attractive target, and you can almost hear the ransomware gang’s cash registers ka-chinging in anticipation.

Russian Roulette: Why Cybercriminals Avoid Their Motherland

Cybercriminals may be ruthless, but they’re not stupid. Hunters International, like many cyber gangs, avoids targeting Russian organizations. Why? Because in Russia, hacking the homeland is the fastest way to get a one-way ticket to Siberia. It’s an unspoken rule in the cybercrime world: mess with anyone, but never bite the hand that (sometimes literally) feeds you. While they wreak havoc worldwide, Russian cybercriminals enjoy safe harbor at home, as long as they keep their nefarious activities abroad. So, next time you hear about a major cyberattack, look for the one country conspicuously absent from the victim list.