Saying it was "welcoming 2019 with open arms and a big announcement," the Dark Overlord hacker group Monday threatened via a Pastebin post to release files it said were nicked from a law firm - believed to have advised insurer Hiscox Syndicares Ltd. - that handled September 11-related cases.
Information pilfered includes “emails, retainer agreements, non-disclosure agreements, settlements, litigation strategies, liability analysis, defence formations, collection of expert witness testimonies, testimonies, communications with government officials in countries all over the world, voice mails, dealings with the FBI, USDOJ, DOD, and more, confidential communications, and so much more,” the group wrote, explaining that the law firm paid the initial ransom demand but then breached the terms of agreement by reporting to law enforcement.
The group, which threatened to “bury” the company unless a second ransom demand was paid in bitcoin, said it would escalate the release of the law firm’s internal files, noting “each time a Layer is opened, a new wave of liability will fall upon you.”
The hackers referred to Hiscox as one “of the biggest insurers on the planet,” referencing the World Trade Center, following up with a tweet promising to provide “many answers about 9.11 conspiracies through our 18.000 secret documents leak.”
The Dark Overlord also claimed to be shopping the data on the dark web. “If you're one of the dozens of solicitor firms who was involved in the litigation, a politician who was involved in the case, a law enforcement agency who was involved in the investigations, a property management firm, an investment bank, a client of a client, a reference of a reference, a global insurer, or whoever else, you're welcome to contact our e-mail below and make a request to formally have your documents and materials withdrawn from any eventual public release of the materials,” the Pastebin post said. “However, you'll be paying us.”
Last year, the Dark Overload leaked stolen Orange is the New Black episodic content from Netflix last year after the entertainment company refused a Bitcoin ransom demand. The malicious actor has also threatened to leak medical records — including celebrity plastic surgery images lifted from a U.K. firm — and has even threatened to physically harm school children, sending educational districts and local parents emails containing stolen personal information on local kids.
Serbian authorities in May announced the arrest of a Belgrade man for his alleged affiliation with The Dark Overlord.
