A coalition of U.S. and European law enforcement agencies has disrupted a ransomware operation, one of the largest currently active, that uses malicious software to lock up victims’ computer networks and demand payment, according to the Justice Department.
The department said Tuesday that it was releasing a decryption tool to help victims free their computer systems from the malicious software used by the group.
The strain of software, called Alphv, was most famously tied to the September cyberattack against MGM Resorts. It so successfully wormed into MGM networks that the company had to shut down substantial parts of their computer systems, leading to casino floor shutdowns, hotel keycards not working, and internal email outages. MGM later said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that the attack and its fallout cost them around $100 million.