The US Department of State announced last week that it’s offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of operators for the Conti ransomware gang.
A separate $5 million reward is also available for information leading to the arrest or conviction of any individual in any country with ties to the group. This includes those who just attempted to participate in an attack.
Those who can provide any of this information can submit tips to the FBI by using the FBI’s Electronic Tip Form.
The Conti ransomware group has been responsible for hundreds of ransomware incidents over the past two years. The FBI estimates that over 1,000 organizations and entities have fallen victim to Conti, as of January.
Victim payouts have been seen to exceed up to $150 million, making Conti the most costly ransomware strain in history.
“In offering this reward, the United States demonstrates its commitment to protecting potential ransomware victims around the world from exploitation by cyber criminals,” the department said. “We look to partner with nations willing to bring justice for those victims affected by ransomware.”
The FBI also strongly advised Conti victims to not pay their ransoms, since it only encourages and incentivizes increased ransomware incidents.
In February, a Ukrainian security researcher leaked tens of thousands of message logs from Conti internal gang chats after the group announced it was siding with Russia during the invasion of Ukraine.