Hackers Demand Bitcoin for Release of Stolen 9/11 Documents

According to the The Dark Overlord group, it has access to highly-sensitive material which is linked to several conspiracy theories surrounding the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

On New Year’s Eve 2018, The Dark Overlord used its Twitter account (which has since been suspended) to claim that it has successfully hacked Lloyds of London, Hiscox Syndicates (insurers), and Silverstein Properties (a New York-based real estate agency) to obtain security information on the 2011 attacks. Plus, it also claims to have gained classified material from various US government agencies such as the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Promising “the juiciest secrets a government has to offer”, The Dark Overlord is reported to have started releasing previews of the illegally-obtained documents on 2nd January 2019, along with instructions on how to access the files and a decryption key.

The group plans on releasing five full instalments in exchange for Bitcoin, with the least expensive information being offered for $5,000 of Bitcoin and the most sensitive classified documents are being sold for $2,000,000 of Bitcoin.

The blockchain address provided by The Dark Overlord for those wishing to contribute Bitcoin in return for access to the files has received fourteen payments at the time of writing this article. However, the 3.12 BTC that’s been donated so far falls a long way short of the hacking group’s target at roughly $11,818.

But, gaining Bitcoin through the release of sensitive 9/11 documentation isn’t the only thing that’s keeping the hacking group busy this week.

According to an article published on the Sky News today, the “cyber-extortionists” are also threatening to leak stolen photos of celebrities undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures to the media unless the celebrities involved pay the group a ransom.

Back in 2017, the group demanded money from the London Bridge Plastic Surgery Clinic to prevent it from leaving images of celebrity breast enhancement procedures among others. But, after failing to gain the co-operation of LBPS, the group told Sky News this week that

“the public may expect celebrity surgery photo leaks very soon”.

A spokesperson for the London Bridge Plastic Surgery Clinic has told Sky News that it is continuing to liaise with the Metropolitan Police’s cybercrime unit as part of an ongoing investigation, and also wishes to reassure patients

“that there has been no new data breach since the intrusion in 2017”.

Since the hacker’s New Year’s Eve Twitter announcement was made, Twitter appears to have permanently banned the account as part of its policy against the distribution of hacked information and materials.

The Dark Overlord has previously attempted and failed to extort money from the Westpark Capital investment bank in L.A., resulting in its leaking information such as contracts, reports, and non-disclosure agreements. It is also known for leaking a season of the popular Netflix series; Orange is the New Black.

By Laura Kilby

Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/01/02/dark-overlord-crew-demand-bitcoin-in-alleged-911-hacking-spree/#30e073c01cf9
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2019/01/02/hacking-group-the-dark-overlord-threatens-to-leak-sensitive-911-documents/
https://gizmodo.com/twitter-moves-to-stop-spread-of-hacked-9-11-lawsuit-fil-1831446081
https://news.sky.com/story/cyber-extortionists-the-dark-overlord-offering-celeb-plastic-surgery-photos-11597618