Gaming Giant CAPCOM Attacked With Ransomware. Hackers Ask for $11M in Bitcoin

Ransomware attacks are one of the most notorious examples of crypto-related criminal activities 2020, with targets ranging from city halls and universities to major industries such as Tesla. And this week, hackers claimed a new victim: The gaming giant Capcom.

Capcom is the corporation behind major hits like Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, Megaman and Street Fighter.

Capcom’s Data is Worth $11 Million in Bitcoin

At the beginning of November 2020, Capcom issued a statement informing it was the target of a computer attack. The Japanese corporation didn’t elaborate on the nature of the attack, and only said that it paused some operations and notified the authorities:

Beginning in the early morning hours of November 2, 2020, some of the Capcom Group networks experienced issues that affected access to certain systems, including email and file servers. The company has confirmed that this was due to unauthorized access carried out by a third party and that it has halted some operations of its internal networks as of November 2

However, a cybersecurity expert with knowledge of the malware scene under the pseudonym Pancak3lullz was able to analyze parts of the malware’s code and told Bleeping Computer that Capcom was hit with a piece of ransomware developed by a group under the name “Ragnar Locker.”

Pancak3lullz said that Ragnar Locker was able to encrypt 2,000 devices on Capcom’s networks, asking for $11,000,000 worth of bitcoins in exchange for the key to decrypt the almost 2 Terabytes of information that are now inaccessible to Capcom.

Among the data, Capcom is risking are document files, passports, sales reports, bank statements, contracts, and numerous databases with strategic information.

Ransomware: A Growing Problem For The Cybersec and The Crypto Industry

The growing number of ransomware attacks is another dark chapter for the crypto industry, as many hackers demand payments in Bitcoin or Monero from victims.

It all comes down to the difficulty of tracking funds and the ease of making transfers from anywhere in the world.Over the last months, this type of crime has become very popular, to the point that estimations indicate that every 10 seconds, at least 1 business suffers a ransomware attack. Just as a reference, in 2016, the numbers were close to one attack every two minutes.

One of the most famous ransomware groups of recent times is REvil. In recent months they have attacked major personalities such as Donald Trump, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. They have also placed announcements in public forums, recruiting staff to increase the quality of their tools.

This is undoubtedly a challenge for a generation that depends more and more on digital information and, curiously enough, tends less and less to back up its delicate information.