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Comment by tyingq | Hacker News Reader

This bit is interesting:

"Victims were targeted with a DDoS attack, and an email was later sent to the organizations, asking for a 0.06 BTC (~$4,000) ransom demand."

Four thousand dollars. I guess they were trying to shoot low in hopes of a quick payment?

Also, Runbox posted a copy of the ransom email: https://blog.runbox.com/2021/10/runbox-is-under-attack-by-ex...

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This week:

"Give me $50 or I break the windows in this place!"

Next week:

"Give me $75 or I break the windows in this place!"

"Bitcoin is not used for ransomware and other cyber crime, it's traceable" - some crypto fans on social media

To be fair, you could trace these transactions, and any from the address that receives them. It seems much better to use Monero or something if you intend to be nefarious. This is probably just ill thought out.

edit: not a crypto fan personally.

Bitcoin is easier for anyone to pay. Afterwards, you can wash this with Monero or other networks.

You have successfully proved that some crypto fans say things that are wrong.

There has been malware that gave people addresses to mail cash to.

The exception confirms the rule

Ransomware has been around since (at least) the 80s, long before bitcoin. https://www.knowbe4.com/aids-trojan

Completely ignoring that all of them now use Bitcoin as payment method.

Bitcoin makes it easier.

This expression makes my skin crawl everytime. It simply makes no sense.

(nothing personal, plenty of people use it but it is so illogical that it wild be unethical not to protest)

Usually, bitcoin is demanded because it's easy for a target to acquire, then it is swapped for Monero to wash it before cashing out.

This is not true. Crooks do not bother with Monero or even hiding their traces.

https://capitalgram.com/posts/how-to-money-launder-bitcoin/

For example, the REVil author is known

https://threatpost.com/revil-ransomware-core-member/175863/

It is all about geopolitics, privateering and for Russia and China to see incompetent Western companies to suffer.

Would you get rid of your iPhone if you found out criminals used Apple gift cards?

That analogy doesn’t even fit his question.

But would you download a car?

I'm going to need a bigger printer, but yeah, I would.

Test their response?

Warm them up to the idea of capitulation?

I don't understand how this works from the ransom email given. Anyone could send that email. It is because it is the first email? Otherwise why doesn't absolutely everyone send their own bitcoin address to any entity that seems to be having some sort of problem?

"I will start 1-2 hours attack on your site."

So it's sent prior to the attack.

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