The U.S. State Department has stated that it will give a $10 million reward for any information regarding the “BlackCat” ransomware group that attacked UnitedHealth Group in February.
The ALPHV BlackCat ransomware-as-a-service group hacked computer networks of important infrastructure sectors in the U.S. and around the world, using ransomware on the targeted systems, turning off security features, stealing sensitive information, asking for payment to restore access, and threatening to expose the stolen data if victims don't pay a ransom. This was mentioned in a statement by the State Department.
The Rewards for Justice program of the State Department, managed by the Diplomatic Security Service, is giving a reward of up to $10 million for information that could lead to identifying or locating anyone involved in the “malicious cyber activities” against U.S. infrastructure on behalf of a foreign government.
ALPHV BlackCat was first used in 2021. The group’s members have “created and maintained” ransomware and enlisted partners to use it, according to the statement.
Change Healthcare, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary that handles payment systems for most U.S. hospitals, was hit was hit by a cyberattack on Feb. 21, causing many patients to have to pay for medicines and health care services out of their own pockets due to the impact of the attack.
As of mid-March, the health care giant said it is testing software it needs to recover from the attack, but there is no set date for completing the recovery. The company has restored nearly all its systems for processing prescriptions, bills, and payments, This was reported by the Associated Press.
The State Department's announcement follows a request from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. He asked the company to explain what it is doing to deal with the ongoing impact of the cyberattack.
Raskin expressed concern that the company may be “limiting the ability of federal agencies to provide relevant assistance to Change Healthcare.” The company has until April 8 to provide a written response.
