A top law firm has notified A-list clients including Lady Gaga, Lizzo and Madonna of a major data breach after a group of hackers posted ...
A top law firm has notified A-list clients including Lady Gaga, Lizzo and Madonna of a major data breach after a group of hackers posted purportedly stolen documents naming them.
The notorious hacker group 'REvil', allegedly from Eastern Europe, are said to have demanded a $21million ransom after stealing private emails, contracts and personal details.
'We can confirm that we've been victimized by a cyberattack,' New York-based entertainment law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks said in a statement to Variety on Tuesday.
'We have notified our clients and our staff. We have hired the world's experts who specialize in this area, and we are working around the clock to address these matters.'
Hacker gang REvil claims to have stolen legal documents pertaining to Lady Gaga (left) and Madonna (right) from a law firm that represents A-list celebrites
The law firm's website is currently down, and the hackers claim to have obtained 767 gigabytes of information, including contracts, non-disclosure agreements, private contact information and private correspondence.
According to cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, the group posted excerpts of a contract related to Madonna's recent Madame X tour.
The group also posted a contract signed by singer Christina Aguilera, and another related to the rapper Lizzo.
Another release shows a list of files with the names of celebrities, including Bruce Springsteen, Barbara Streisand, Bette Midler and Mariah Carey.
Sources told Page Six that the FBI is investigating. One told the outlet, 'The hackers got into the system while everyone was focused on the coronavirus.
'We assume, but there is no confirmation, that the hackers are Eastern European. They are demanding a $21 million ransom, and the firm is not negotiating with them.'
The group also posted a contract signed by singer Christina Aguilera, and another related to the rapper Lizzo (pictured)
Another release shows a list of files with the names of celebrities, including Bruce Springsteen
According to the source, one of the firm's founders, Allen Grubman, has 'sensitive details on everything - work contracts, confidential settlements and endorsement deals for the biggest stars in New York and Hollywood.'
The hackers also claim to have obtained files pertaining to other past and present clients including singers Nicki Minaj, Mary J. Blige, Jessica Simpson and Ella Mai; NFL player Cam Newton; actresses Priyanka Chopra and Idina Menzel; and rap group Run DMC.
The incident is evidently a ransomware attack, in which cybercriminals use the threat of releasing the stolen data as leverage to extort payment.
It's unclear what demands the group has made in connection with the stolen data.
Law firms are often viewed by hackers as tempting targets, with troves of sensitive documents pertaining to dozens or hundreds of clients.
REvil, also known as Sodinokibi, was also responsible for a ransomware attack against currency service Travelex in January.
Mariah Carey (left) and Bette Midler (right) were also among those whose legal documents were stolen in the breach, according to the hackers
NFL free agent Cam Newton, formerly the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, was also named in the stolen documents, the hackers claim
The group demanded a ransom of $6 million in return for not deleting sensitive customer information.
It took four weeks before the company's money transfer service and wire offering was fully up and running again, after Travelex reportedly agreed to pay a $2.3 million ransom in bitcoin.
Travelex is the world's largest retail currency dealer and provides travel money services for a host of partners.
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