Akira ransomware: FBI tallies 250 million in payouts

The piece reports that US and European agencies have updated their joint warning on Akira, noting ransom demands estimated at nearly 250 million dollars, with a focus on exploitation of VPNs and remote access tools and ties to the former Conti gang. It highlights that Akira has become one of the leading ransomware threats to small and mid-sized organisations since 2023, capable of stealing data within two hours of initial access and targeting manufacturing, education, IT and healthcare.

According to the update to the advisory first issued in April 2024, the Akira group had, by late September, demanded more than 244 million dollars in ransom. Using an indicative rate of 1 dollar to 0.92 euro, that figure translates into roughly 224.5 million euros, while the broader estimate of nearly 250 million dollars corresponds to about 230 million euros. The article suggests Akira now sits in the same league as the big ransomware cartels of recent years.