Washington D.C. — Hackers threatened to release 250 gigabytes of confidential Metropolitan Police Department files—unless officials pay a $4 million ransom, according to the Daily Caller. A Russia-based ransomware syndicate known as Babuck is allegedly behind the attack.
They allegedly posted 20 Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers’ personnel files after stealing 250 gigabytes of internal data, the DCist reported. Babuk said negotiations with officials “reached a dead end” and reportedly posted chat logs where officials offered $100,000 to the group.
“The amount we were offered does not suit us… if during tomorrow they do not raise the price, we will release all the data,” Babuk posted on its website.
Babuk reportedly posted personnel files on five current and former MPD officers late last month, according to The Washington Post. The files included Social Security numbers, financial and housing records, polygraph assessments and other personal information.
Babuk told the department to “get in touch as soon as possible and pay us, otherwise we will publish the data.”
In alleged chat logs, Babuk told city officials the MPD should be able to afford the ransom since they’re located in the capital.
Babuk “started this business very recently, with limited ransomware coding experience,” according to an analysis from tech security company McAfee. The group reportedly focused on private businesses before targeting government agencies.
Several law enforcement agencies have been the victim of ransomware or a malicious attack in recent months including Baltimore, Austin and Tulsa.
