Apple Threatened by a Ransomware Group
REvil is a prominent ransomware group targeting high-profile institutions and demanding sky-high ransom amounts. The group has recently hit Acer, demanding $50 million in payment. Working based on the Ransomware-as-a-Service model, REvil leverages its malware to hackers, who breach corporate networks and bring in ransom which is then shared among themselves. As this model proved successful, many other ransomware players have started following the same. As per reports, REvil is threatening Apple to pay a ransom to avoid leaking its sensitive data. This was reportedly obtained from the Quanta Computer hack, which happened earlier and put many other companies at risk. Quanta Computer is a Taiwanese ODM that manufactures notebooks for Apple, HP, Dell, Alienware, Lenovo, etc. Quanta Computer is the second-largest ODM next to Compal by selling volume, which too was hit by ransomware last year! Hacking Quanta Computer opened doors for accessing the sensitive data of its partners, just like Apple is suffering now. It’s revealed that failed negotiations between REvil and Quanta Computer lead to Apple being threatened now. Apple is given time until May 1st to pay the ransom of $50 million or have its products’ blueprints and PII of its employees and customers leaked after that. Quanta Computer, too, was given until April 27th to pay the $50 million, which would be doubled after that.
