Chicago firm that resolves ransomware attacks had rogue workers carrying out their own hacks, FBI says

Rogue employees at a Chicago firm that specialises in negotiating ransomware settlements are alleged to have carried out their own hacks in a bid to extort millions, prosecutors say. Kevin Tyler Martin, a ransomware threat negotiator for River North-based DigitalMint at the time, was among two men indicted, with a suspected accomplice who wasn’t indicted also employed there, court records show.

Also indicted was Ryan Clifford Goldberg, an incident response manager for Sygnia Cybersecurity Services, which said Goldberg no longer works for the company and that it is not the target of the investigation, though it continues to work closely with law enforcement.

According to an FBI affidavit filed in September, the three men began using malicious software in May 2023 to conduct ransomware attacks against victims, first hitting a medical company in Florida by locking its servers and demanding $10 million to unlock the systems. DigitalMint has denied any wrongdoing, fired both employees and cooperated with the investigation.