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Comment by SavantIdiot | Hacker News Reader

Why should I believe this? They can shut down their servers, move their crypto to different wallets, and pop up again in a few weeks, right?

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They know that they can and will be found, and are running scared. In general ransomware works because it takes a lot of resources to find the criminals behind it. And generally there's not enough resources to do this. But once it hits a level where it creates a widespread national problem, it becomes more of an act of war. Then you get people involved that aren't just law enforcement and have tools that aren't available to law enforcement with large budgets.

Not to mention diplomatic channels to apply pressure on local governments that may have previously lacked the impetus to do anything about these groups.

Running scared though? I see this as the dash from 2nd plate to 3rd. If you're going to ditch your servers and wash your coins you might as well make it seem like you were compromised. I don't think there's any fear here as they surely must have anticipated the consequences.

I don’t understand how ransom ware works at all. The address is known well in advance, so a miner knows they might face sanction of their own coins for including it in their block. Not worth it.

It's plausible that this is all a scheme to evade capture. Disband the current organization, (get rid of a few people who you've wanted to jettison anyway), and then set up shop afresh elsewhere. It sends the message to whoever's looking for you that the whole thing has been burned to the ground and there's nothing to raid or seize or shut down.

Possible, but there is too much a chance that the cops already know who you are and just need to gather evidence in a form they can take to court. By shutting down they ensure that no more evidence is gathered. By starting a new organization they can't be sure that they aren't still being watched.

I’m skeptical as well. They know they built up a little too much notoriety and want to exit the game, is my guess. A core set of people can live pretty comfortably off of the ransom here, though they’ll have a hard time laundering it.

Agreed, except why bother pop up again? They just got a big fat payment of $5m. Plenty to split with a small team. It's a good time to cash out and disappear.

Seriously! It's FIVE MILLION. That's "I don't ever have to work again" money. What is wrong with people! Probably they want Mercedes, and Rolexes, and Mont Blanc pens and all that showy consumer garbage.

$5million spread between an unknown number of people and that need to be laundered before it's turned into Rolexes and Mercedeses. Given the high risks it doesn't sound like a great deal to me especially since competent hackers can usually command a fairly high salary in legit companies.

The median lifetime earnings in the US is 1.7 million, and that’s equivalent to... $20 an hour or so. 5 million is “never work again” money for a couple of people who want middle class incomes the rest of their lives... it is not really that much when spread over more than a few people.

My friend, you need to [1] travel, and [2] learn a tiny bit about investing.

First, you can live like a fucking KING for $2000/mo in southeast asia and most of central/south america. 24k/yr is 208 years. Bonus! The food is awesome, the people are great, the climate is ... nice most of the year, and the pollution is a little awful in the cities, but damn the beaches are gorgeous, and there are loads of them.

Second, ETF index funds for DJIA/NASDAQ/SP500, easily clear 5-7% per 5/yrs in BAD times; bluechip/bellweather stocks & municipal funds pay dividends that would easily clear that after taxes. Investing like a grown adult versus /r/stonks are two completely different things. I recommend you hire a CFPA (or RIA) for at least a few years as soon as you can afford it, bonus if you can do it in your 20's, it will at least set you on the right track.

Of course, once you get old and medical conditions bankrupt you that's a problem. But then you swan dive off of Machu Picchu and go out in style!!

And you need to check your assumptions if you think the likely outcome of extorting five million out of a major piece of infrastructure with your buddies would be collecting dividends on a tropical beach.

If you do everything perfectly you have a target painted on your back for life, a group of friends that all want to be the first to save their skins by giving the rest of you up, and a huge chunk of that change given away trying to launder that money well enough that you don’t get caught. Not to mention the foolishness that comes with suddenly finding yourself with a big pile of money which is easy to pretend wouldn’t affect you when there’s no chance of it actually being a challenge you’ll ever have.

Your advice to high tech thieves is to hire an accountant?

Best to find a job tending bar in a country not too friendly for an extradition and keeping the money under your mattress to hire the best lawyer you could afford to avoid spending the rest of your life in prison hoping that the CIA doesn’t make you disappear.

These people likely do not live in the US. Also, how big do you think the core team is? I would assume they're freezing out anyone who can't identify the culprits.

Darkside is likely based in Russia, where lifetime median earnings are much lower.

They're also going to lose a big chunk of that to money laundering losses. But since it is in Bitcoin it's probably going to appreciate over time. The problem is that if they fuck it up just once the record will be on the blockchain forever and they'll never be safe.

>5 million is “never work again” money for a couple of people who want middle class incomes the rest of their lives

This is ignoring the interest

Depends if the DOJ issues arrest warrants for the members in a couple weeks.

Since they aren't in the US, it is probably more of a proactive step by the DOJ to build a case for sanctions. Assuming they know what country the perps are from, which doesn't seem all that clear.

There are only a handful of countries that won't accept the US arrest warrants and turn over whoever. A few countries will demand something first, but this means no death penalty, not something that is in anyway a big deal for the other country. It is semi-routine for most countries to capture and turn over criminals within the borders to another country.

That is why people bring up Russia and North Korea. Those are the two most likely countries that wouldn't. There are a few others, but not many.

Even China which in general I wouldn't trust would in this case. If China did an attack like this it would be much more targeted and they wouldn't be looking for ransom money - See the attacks on the Iran nuclear program for example: attack a target that actually matters. (those attacks were probably US or Israel, but it is the type of thing China might do).

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