Florida ransomware negotiator convicted for helping ransomware gang extort US companies
Florida man Angelo Martino has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for conspiring with hackers to deploy ransomware during his job as a...
Key points
- Florida man Angelo Martino has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for conspiring with hackers to deploy ransomware during his job as a ransomware negotiator for a U.S.
- The trio, prosecutors say, worked together to deploy the BlackCat ransomware against companies in the United States throughout 2023.
- The investigation highlights a rare case of security professionals working for malicious hackers while on the job.
- Governments have long advised victims of hacking and extortion not to pay any ransom and prevent cybercriminals from profiting, although some companies do so anyway in attempts to prevent their customers’ private data from being leaked.
What happened
Florida man Angelo Martino has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for conspiring with hackers to deploy ransomware during his job as a ransomware negotiator for a U.S. The trio, prosecutors say, worked together to deploy the BlackCat ransomware against companies in the United States throughout 2023. The investigation highlights a rare case of security professionals working for malicious hackers while on the job. Governments have long advised victims of hacking and extortion not to pay any ransom and prevent cybercriminals from profiting, although some companies do so anyway in attempts to prevent their customers’ private data from being leaked. for responding to ransomware and extortion attacks. The group’s ransomware was famously used to steal highly sensitive medical and billing data of more than 192 million people in America during a hack at U.S.