A ransomware group known formally by the name Sodinokibi group avows being behind the stealing of gigabytes worth of official documentation from Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks (GSMLaw), an entertainment and law organization that has a plethora of internationally renowned stars and public figures among its clientele.
Clientele
Some of the frequent clients of the law establishment to appear on its list are popular artistes like Chris Brown, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Elton John, to mention but a few.
The ransomware group has resorted to blackmail. They’re threatening to leak the stolen documents to the public if the company will not oblige and pay a ransom.
However, the firm has a reputable standing in the world of entertainment. They claim they can guide and attend to clients in all frontiers of their careers and entrepreneurial ventures without comparison.
The Sodinokibi ransomware gang has made public a screenshot of the documents they had managed to steal from the organization.
The cybercriminals went as far as publishing take-outs, extracts from official consents to arrangements regarding legal matters, signed by famous artistes, one such being Christina Aguilera’s.
The gigantic treasury of official papers and files, 756 GB sized, contains not only contracts, but email addresses, personal correspondence, non-disclosure agreements(NDAs), and social security numbers and even cell phone numbers too.
These cybercrime perpetrators, known more commonly as Sodinokibi ransomware gang, are recognized and labeled to be a huge threat. They have already targeted a handful of establishments world over, these include the seachange video platform, the UK-based currency exchange Travelex currency exchange, and the Kenneth Cole Fashion Firm.
The gang has since started using the Monero cryptocurrency instead of Bitcoin too. Therefore making the investigation and inquiry process noticeably more difficult and strenuous for law enforcement agencies involved in the case.
