Maze, one of the most infamous data-stealing groups, has said that they are closing up shop, but the cybersecurity community is hardly convinced.
The group, which has previously attacked companies like Coqnizant and Chubb, announced its decision on its dark web site, TechCrunch reported, noting that the announcement was riddled with typos.
Maze stood out from other ransomware groups by actively stealing the victims’ data and then threatening to release it to the public unless the targeted companies paid up. It has since become a preferred strategy for many other groups like Maze.
However, the cybersecurity community is by far not convinced that Maze is truly gone.
“Obviously, Maze’s claims should be taken with a very, very small pinch of salt,” said Brett Callow, a ransomware expert and threat analyst at security firm Emsisoft, when speaking with TechCrunch. “It’s certainly possible that the group feels they have made enough money to be able to close shop and sail off into the sunset. However, it’s also – and probably more likely – that they’ve decided to rebrand.”
The news comes as the risk of cyber attacks has skyrocketed during the Covid-19 crisis. Criminals have used the pandemic to launch more ransomware, phishing, financial frauds and other scams. No wonder that the cost of security breaches has also gone up since the coronavirus outbreak.
Given the rise in hack attacks and a huge number of employees still working from their kitchen tables, it’s hardly surprising that the pandemic has pushed companies and governments to rethink their cybersecurity strategies.
Copyright © 2018 RegTech Analyst
