FBI Warns of Russia-Linked Extortion Gang Targeting U.S. Law Firms
The FBI has issued a warning about the Silent Ransom Group (SRG), a Russia-linked extortion gang that has been infiltrating U.S. law firms to steal client data. The group, which emerged from the Conti ransomware syndicate in 2022, uses operatives to physically insert USB drives into computers at law firms. These drives are used to exfiltrate files via tools like WinSCP or Rclone, with data being staged on platforms such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. The SRG does not deploy ransomware but instead threatens to publish stolen files on its data leak site, pressuring victims for payment. The FBI advises organizations to disable external drive connections, block port 22, require phishing-resistant multifactor authentication, and verify IT support credentials.