Pakistan’s Biggest Power Provider Hacked By NetWalker

Pakistan’s biggest power provider is the latest victim of a hack attack of the NetWalker ransomware group as they requested $7.7 million paid in BTC. Let’s find out more in our bitcoin scam news today.

Two major NetWalker ransomware attacks came to light over the past week. Right after Argentina’s official immigration agency suffered the hack attack demanding $4 million in BTC, now, Pakistan’s biggest power provider was attacked as the attackers demanded $7.7 million in BTC. The cybersecurity website Bleeping Computer reported that the electricity provider for Karachi, K-Electric, suffered a ransomware attack. This power supplier supplies power to more than 2.5 million people but the hack didn’t affect those services. The hackers, however, targeted the online billing platform so the users cannot operate their website.

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Bleeping computer noted that there was a payment page provided by the attackers to K-electric and they also used the anonymous Tor browser saying that the initial demand is worth $3,850,000 or about 383 BTC. If the payment is not transferred before September 15^th, they will double the amount to $7.7 million. The attackers have also said that they managed to steal unencrypted files from the power supplier before executing the attack but they didn’t disclose the nature of the files.

NetWalker ransomware attacks were dubbed Mailto and are based on an extension that is appended to the encryption files. It compromises the network of the victim and encrypts all of the Windows devices that are connected to it. before gaining access to the servers, the attackers left a note demanding a ransom. In the past few months, the attackers requested the funds to be transferred via bitcoin.

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According to McAfee, the cybercriminal group managed to gather more than $25 million since March this year. A few days before the attack, the Argentinian immigration agency also got attacked by the NetWalker group but the cybercrime agency published a criminal complaint saying that the hack has temporarily stopped border crossing in and out of the country. The hackers used a similar procedure in Pakistan, by using the Tor browser and payment page, demanding $2 million in BTC. However, they quickly increased the demand to $4 million.

The hackers said they will release sensitive information that was stolen from the agency if their demands are not met. Another attack occurred this summer and involved the University of California in San Francisco. The attackers negotiated for more than a week.