Hacking group REvil reportedly drops ransomware threat against Apple

According to a new report, REvil has mysteriously removed all references to a ransomware attack against Apple supplier Quanta Computer from its webpage on the dark web.

On Tuesday, April 20, the ransomware group called REvil declared that it had accessed the internal computers of Apple’s main MacBook supplier Quanta Computer Inc, based in Taiwan. The group had threatened Quanta with ransomware, demanding $50 million by April 27 in order to stop it from leaking product blueprints. After Quanta did not comply, REvil turned to Apple for the ransom.

AppleHacking group REvil reportedly drops ransomware threat against Apple

Hacking group REvil reportedly drops ransomware threat against Apple

According to BleepingComputer, the group initially demanded the Taiwanese company to pay $50 million for the recovery of the files. However, after Quanta refused to pay the ransom, the hacking group went after the Cupertino tech giant for the money instead.

In a statement to BleepingComputer, a spokesperson Quanta said, “Quanta Computer’s information security team has worked with external IT experts in response to cyberattacks on a small number of Quanta servers.” The statement placed heavy emphasis on the fact that the threat did not lead to a material impact on the company’s business operation.

The hacking attempt came as Apple unveiled new products at its virtual ‘Spring Loaded’ event, announcing M1 iMacs, an M1 iPad Pro, AirTag, and more. By the end of the event, REvil publicly posted several images of unreleased product schematics and details regarding Apple’s upcoming MacBooks.

The stolen schematics released online reveal two new 2021 MacBook Pro models with the codenames J314 and J316, referring to 14-inch and 16-inch models respectively. The leaks reveal a bunch of highly technical details such as power specifications, but they also confirm that HDMI, SD card reader, MagSafe, and three USB-C ports will be included in the new MacBook Pro models.

2021 MacBook Pro ports

The hacking group is not known for backing out of threats, so it is unclear why it decided to pull the threat. Currently, we do not know if a ransom was paid or if law enforcement agencies were involved.

via MacRumors

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Asma is an editor at iThinkDifferent with a strong focus on social media, Apple news, streaming services, guides, mobile gaming, app reviews, and more. When not blogging, Asma loves to play with her cat, draw, and binge on Netflix shows.