The hacker group Brain Cipher has announced it will release encryption keys, allowing free access to Indonesian government data. This plan will be implemented on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, and was announced through their blog the day before.
Brain Cipher stated that this attack is not politically motivated, but rather a “lesson” to emphasize the importance of funding in the field of cyber security and the recruitment of qualified specialists. They also apologized to the Indonesian public for the impact of the attack, especially on government services such as immigration, which were paralyzed for several days.
Encryption Keys and Apologies
In a blog post titled “More important than money, only honor,” Brain Cipher announced that they would release the PDNS2 ransomware encryption keys for free. They hope this attack will make the government realize how important cyber security is.
“We want to make a public statement. This Wednesday, we will provide the keys (PDNS ransomware – ed.) for free. We hope our attack makes you understand how important it is to fund this industry (cyber security) and recruit qualified specialists,” wrote Brain Cipher. They emphasized that the attack was not for political purposes, but to demonstrate the weaknesses of cyber security in Indonesia.
Impact of the Attack
Brain Cipher is believed to be responsible for the ransomware attack that targeted the temporary National Data Center (PDNS) 2 server in Surabaya, East Java, about two weeks ago. This attack paralyzed various government services, including immigration services, which were disrupted for approximately seven days. Brain Cipher apologized for this impact and emphasized that the decision to release the encryption keys was made consciously and independently.
Monero Wallet for Donations
Even though they promised to provide the encryption keys for free, Brain Cipher opened a Monero wallet for donations. They hope to receive rewards from this action, although they reiterated that the encryption keys will be provided without charge.
“We created a Monero wallet for donations, we hope that on Wednesday we will receive something (rewards). And we repeat: we will provide the keys for free and on our own initiative,” they wrote. On Wednesday, Brain Cipher will prove that they are keeping their promise.
Brain Cipher’s Monero digital wallet address for ‘donations’:
42m1SiK7EWq4TSKXu6FkDicPQwsnk3uNBhMwN71SrZuuJtk6TPpAACKSLeAofaYuKvhoq2RcCNVeHWPtziQXYiRs79gLfFH
Conclusion
In an increasingly digital world, cyber security is becoming increasingly crucial. Brain Cipher’s attack on PDNS2 shows how vulnerable our systems are to cyber threats. Their message calling for increased funding and the recruitment of specialists in the field of cyber security is an important reminder for us all.
Security is not something that can be taken lightly, and investing in this field is a wise step for a safer future. “Awareness of cyber security is the first step towards better protection,” and this is an important lesson that we must learn from this incident.
