A group calling itself “iamnotavillain” issued an ultimatum on its website Wednesday afternoon: pay the ransom or customer data will be made public.
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Such a public demand, according to the Financial Times (“FT”), is unusual because hackers usually prefer private ransom requests and only speak publicly when the target refuses to pay or cooperate.
The online message to Revolut stated to pay “6,000 XMR / 3,000,000 USD. XMR is the cryptocurrency Monero, favored by hackers because its transactions are hard to trace. The group informed FT that no negotiations with Revolut have taken place yet.
FT contacted the hackers via the Telegram app after they posted partially redacted screenshots of data allegedly obtained from the bank late Monday.
Soon after posting the ransom demand, the hackers sent FT a 60-second video showing an anonymous user browsing the alleged Revolut document repository.
The video showed documents including Revolut customers’ driver’s licenses, passports, and identity photos. It is believed this data breach affected at least 680 customer accounts.
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FT reported Tuesday that the hackers gained access to files by hacking into the Italian government’s email system. Using it, they impersonated law enforcement officers for several months and demanded information about specific Revolut customer accounts.
Several Revolut customers affected by this incident expressed concern about the security of their personal data.
Revolut previously stated that it provides “immediate assistance” to affected customers and “works closely with relevant law enforcement and regulatory authorities.”
Since its launch in 2015, Revolut has become the largest European fintech company operating as a bank in more than 30 countries and serving 80 million customers. During a recent secondary share sale, the company was valued at 115 billion USD.
15min reached out to Revolut, but its representatives did not comment on the situation.
“We do not comment on scam threats or demands,” Revolut communications specialist Akvilė Adomaitytė informed the portal.
