Kairos Ransomware: Data-Extortion Case Study Involving a U.S. Government Entity | Ransom-ISAC Blog – Ransom-ISAC

Kairos Ransomware: Data-Extortion Case Study Involving a U.S. Government Entity | Ransom-ISAC Blog – Ransom-ISAC
A U.S. government body paid Kairos a $1 million ransom after a data-extortion incident involving claims of more than 2 TB of stolen files and intense publication threats. The case highlights a data-only extortion campaign with unverified deletion claims, rapid fund splitting, and exchange touchpoints linked to ByBit, OKX, and BELQI. #Kairos #ByBit #OKX #BELQI #SBU

Keypoints

  • Kairos claimed access to over 1.6 million files and 2 TB of data.
  • The initial ransom demand was $3 million and the final payment was $1 million.
  • The victim increased offers from $100,000 to $430,000 during negotiations.
  • Kairos used deadline pressure, publication threats, and sensitive file references to force payment.
  • Post-payment tracing showed funds splitting through ByBit, OKX, and BELQI touchpoints.

Read More: https://ransom-isac.org/blog/kairos-ransomware-data-extortion-case-study/