Click here to read the full article.
The ransomware hackers who stole gigabytes of data from a prominent New York entertainment law firm posted a batch of emails Saturday on the dark web, which they previously hyped as containing incriminating information on President Donald Trump.
But there’s nothing damning in the collection of 169 emails, which the hackers illegally obtained from Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks’ systems.
More from Variety
-
Law Firm Hackers Claim to Have Dirt on Donald Trump, Up Data Ransom to $42M
-
Guns N' Roses Tears Into Trump With 'Live N' Let Die With COVID 45' Shirt
-
Hackers Reportedly Demand $21 Million From Entertainment Law Firm in Data Extortion Scheme
Indeed, only a few of the emails published online Saturday actually refer to Donald Trump in any meaningful context. Those include discussions of satirical references to him in certain TV shows and ads, as well as his 2015 interview with Barbara Walters on ABC News’ “20/20.”
Related: FBI Warns China Is Launching Cyber Attacks to Steal Research
Meanwhile, among the hacked emails were newsletters with links to articles about the current White House occupant. In several cases, the emails included “trump” in the verb sense of “to override,” having nothing to do with Donald Trump. A few others were correspondence with a company whose offices were in Trump Tower in New York. Another email chain referenced a client who was staying at Trump International Hotel & Tower New York.
In short, it’s nothing resembling the “ton of dirty laundry” the cyberattackers claimed they possessed on Donald Trump.
The criminals’ claims to have revealing info on Trump in connection with their hack of Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks were puzzling, given that the law firm has never represented Donald Trump or the Trump Organization.
The hackers claimed the emails they released Saturday contain “the most harmless information” about Trump — apparently trying to imply they are holding back more compelling material. But considering that what they published contained nothing remotely interesting, it seems likely that the cybercriminals are vastly exaggerating the value of the data they’ve stolen.
Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks refused to pay the cyberthieves’ initial $21 million ransom, after which the hackers doubled their demand to $42 million. Now that it’s clear the law firm, which has brought in the FBI to conduct a criminal investigation, will not even negotiate with the criminal ring, the hackers are claiming they will auction off the client data they stole on the dark web.
The attack on the Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks network, which appears to have occurred on or around May 7, allegedly resulted in the theft of documents on multiple music and entertainment figures. The hackers have claimed those include Lady Gaga, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Ella Mai, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Cam Newton, Bette Midler, Jessica Simpson, Priyanka Chopra, Idina Menzel and Run DMC.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Entertainment - Latest - Google News
May 17, 2020 at 12:51AM
https://ift.tt/3g6dlDk
Hackers Release Dozens of Law Firm’s Emails Citing Trump, but There’s No ‘Dirty Laundry’ - Yahoo Entertainment
Entertainment - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2RiDqlG
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Hackers Release Dozens of Law Firm’s Emails Citing Trump, but There’s No ‘Dirty Laundry’ - Yahoo Entertainment"
Post a Comment