US recovers most of $4.4M crypto ransom paid by Colonial Pipeline

United States intelligence officials say halting cyberattacks has become a national security priority, and US President Joe Biden plans to bring up the attacks when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.

The U.S. has recovered the majority of the $4.4 million in cryptocurrency ransom paid to the perpetrators of the cyber attack on Colonial Pipeline Co. last month that temporarily halted fuel supplies across the U.S. east coast, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said. “Ransomware attacks are always unacceptable but when they target critical infrastructure we will spare no effort in our response,” Monaco told reporters on Monday. Deputy FBI Director Paul Abbate said law enforcement identified a virtual wallet used in the ransom payment and then recovered the funds. He said investigators have found more than 90 companies victimized by DarkSide, a Russia-linked cybercrime group blamed in the pipeline hack.