Police Tease Announcements on Seized LockBit Leak Site

An international coalition of law enforcement agencies has turned the tables on the notorious LockBit ransomware gang by reviving and repurposing its seized dark web site. Originally taken down in an operation earlier this year, the site is now being used to tease and announce upcoming revelations about the criminal group's inner workings.

According to TechCrunch, the resurrected site features posts with titles such as "Who is LockBitSupp?" and "More LB hackers exposed." These posts, which hint at significant disclosures, are currently gated by a timer set to end at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 7.

The operation that originally led to the takedown of the site, known as Operation Cronos, was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Europol, and other international partners. It resulted in the takedown of 34 servers across Europe and the US, along with the seizure of over 200 cryptocurrency wallets associated with the hackers. The site now serves as a peculiar mix of a press release platform and a teaser for further announcements, demonstrating an unconventional use of seized digital assets.

However, a previous post made via the same website some time ago also hinted that it would reveal the identity of LockBitSupp (the alleged leader of the operation). But after several days of waiting, the post failed to identify LockBitSupp, though the authorities alleged that “We know who he is. We know where he lives. We know how much he is worth. LockBitSupp has engaged with Law Enforcement :)."

Many are hoping the authorities will announce a decisive blow against LockBit this time around, who have been one of the most resilient and successful ransomware gangs in recent history.

The use of the dark web site in this manner is an interesting move and represents a shift in how authorities handle the aftermath of cyber operations. Despite these efforts, the gang has continued its nefarious activities, proving that the battle is far from over.