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Ransomware Gang Lockbit Reportedly Hacked in Embarrassing Leak

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In an ironic twist, Lockbit — one of the world’s most notorious ransomware gangs — appears to have fallen victim to a cyberattack of its own, according to security analysts and a rogue message posted on one of the group’s darkweb sites.

On Wednesday, Lockbit’s site was replaced with a taunting message that read:

“Don’t do crime. CRIME IS BAD xoxo from Prague”
The site also included a link to what appears to be a leaked cache of internal data, potentially containing chats between Lockbit members and their victims.

While Reuters has not independently verified the data, multiple cybersecurity experts have assessed the leak and confirmed its authenticity.

“It’s legit,” said Jon DiMaggio, chief security strategist at Analyst1.
Christiaan Beek of Rapid7 noted the leak revealed Lockbit’s indiscriminate targeting — even aggressively pursuing small businesses for minor ransom payouts.
“They attack everyone,” he added.

Who hacked Lockbit remains unclear, and some of the group’s associated darkweb infrastructure is currently down, with placeholder messages stating sites will be “working soon.” However, the damage may already be done.

This is not the first time Lockbit has faced disruption. In 2023, U.K. and U.S. authorities, alongside international partners, seized parts of the gang’s infrastructure. At the time, Lockbit quickly resurfaced and defiantly declared,

“I cannot be stopped.”
But this latest incident appears more personal — and humiliating.

DiMaggio described the breach as a significant blow to the gang’s operations and credibility:

“I think it will hurt them and slow them down.”

Lockbit, once dubbed “the Walmart of ransomware” due to its prolific activity and reach, now faces a potentially destabilizing turn of events — and an unexpected reminder that even cybercriminals aren’t immune to being hacked.

Flock Safety Raises $275 Million to Fund Manufacturing and R&D Expansion

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Flock Safety, a U.S.-based startup specializing in surveillance technology, has secured $275 million in new funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz, to expand its operations. The funding will be used to support the development of a manufacturing plant and to further explore new products, including drones.

The investment has valued Flock Safety at $7.5 billion, a significant increase from its previous valuation of $4.8 billion in the previous funding round last year. With this latest funding, the startup’s total capital raised exceeds $950 million, positioning it among the most well-funded startups in the region, according to PitchBook data.

This marks the third investment by Andreessen Horowitz in Flock, a notable move by the venture capital firm. Greenoaks Capital and Bedrock Capital also participated in the funding round.

Flock Safety provides security cameras and software aimed at helping law enforcement agencies and businesses combat crime. The company has reported surpassing $300 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), reflecting a 70% year-over-year growth. In preparation for an eventual public listing, Flock has brought in Brandon Simins as its new CFO this year, although it has not set a specific timeline for the listing.

A significant part of the funding will go toward the construction of a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Georgia, where Flock plans to begin the production of U.S.-manufactured drones by 2025. Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock, expressed excitement about bringing more manufacturing to the U.S., stating that it would provide better control over the supply chain and further their mission to combat crime.

Founded in 2017, Flock Safety’s surveillance system leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to provide insights for investigations, such as identifying car plates. The company now serves over 4,800 law enforcement agencies and nearly 1,000 businesses, including major retailers and healthcare providers. Enterprise businesses account for approximately 30% of its revenue.

Investing in startups that sell to law enforcement is somewhat uncommon for Silicon Valley investors, but David George, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, highlighted Flock’s growth as evidence of the large market for such solutions. “Flock Safety has one of the most compelling ROI (return on investment) equations we’ve ever seen in software or hardware markets,” said George. He added that Flock’s widespread penetration into police departments and its high market share position it for a venture-scale outcome.

Four Russians Arrested in Phobos Ransomware Crackdown, Europol Reports

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Europol announced on Tuesday that four Russian nationals, suspected of deploying a variant of Phobos ransomware, have been arrested following a coordinated international law enforcement operation. The group, identified as the 8Base ransomware gang, extorted payments from victims in Europe and across the globe.

Coordinated Effort:

The arrests were the result of a collaboration involving law enforcement agencies from 14 countries. Along with the arrests, authorities seized 27 servers linked to the gang’s criminal operations, effectively dismantling part of the network. This action forms part of a broader series of successful operations targeting Phobos ransomware. Thanks to previous arrests, law enforcement agencies have also been able to warn over 400 companies worldwide about imminent ransomware attacks.

Prior Arrests and Impact:

In June 2024, a Phobos administrator was arrested in South Korea and later extradited to the United States in November, where he faces charges related to ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure and businesses. Another significant arrest occurred in 2023 when a key Phobos affiliate was apprehended in Italy based on a French arrest warrant, further disrupting the gang’s activities.

Phobos ransomware primarily targets small to medium-sized businesses, which are often vulnerable due to weaker cybersecurity defenses.