US Bank investigates LockBit ransomware claims of data breach

The Register disclosed that US Bank is investigating claims made by the ransomware crew LockBit that they breached the financial institution and stole data. The criminals are threatening to leak the stolen information on September 3 unless the bank pays an extortion demand.

US Bank confirmed it is aware of the claims and is investigating, but declined to provide specifics on communication with the extortionists or the ransom amount. While the bank stated there is no current indication of internal system impact or unauthorized network access, LockBit added US Bank to its leak site, setting a 14-day deadline for payment. This incident follows previous data exposures affecting US Bank customers, including a third-party breach that may have exposed credit card information for some customers.

In February 2024, international law enforcement dismantled an earlier iteration of LockBit, seizing servers and infrastructure. Despite these efforts, the group reemerged with a new ransomware variant. Historically, even after ransom payments, ransomware groups have been known to retain victim data, raising concerns about the ultimate security of the information.

Source: The Register