Google and FBI Warn: Hackers Pose as Fake IT Staff in Offices

Google and the FBI have issued a warning about the new tactics of the Silent Ransom Group, a cybercriminal gang targeting law firms. Hackers are now not only operating remotely but also personally visiting victims' offices disguised as fake IT employees to steal data. According to a report by Mandiant and the Google Threat Intelligence Group, dozens of companies have been targeted by such attacks from January to May this year. Techcrunch.com reports .

Criminals enter offices and copy data from computers using USB flash drives or provide other group members with remote access to the devices. According to Charles Carmakal, Managing Director at Mandiant, the group has extensive experience in carrying out cyberattacks by bribing employees or gaining illegal access to buildings. FBI representatives also confirmed that such cases have been observed multiple times within the Silent Ransom Group's scheme.

Unlike traditional ransomware methods, attackers do not encrypt data but simply steal it and threaten to publish it on a special website. If the company does not make the payment, contracts, social security numbers, and financial reports will be leaked to the public network. Hackers pressure victims by sending direct messages: "If there is no agreement, we will warn your partners and clients, and then publish the data."

The group also actively uses phishing and social engineering methods. They pose as technical support representatives and persuade users to share their screens via Zoom or Microsoft Teams or to download special applications. In this way, they bypass security systems and gain access to the system under the pretext of corporate data migration or security checks.