Financial firms cyberattacks squeeze $10M in bitcoin via fake IT calls
A phone call from “IT support” is turning into one of the most costly social-engineering threats facing Wall Street right now. According to a new Google security report, a wave of coordinated financial firms cyberattacks has hit some of the largest private equity and investment firms in the United States, with hackers using old-fashioned phone calls rather than sophisticated malware to break into corporate networks and steal sensitive data for extortion.
Key takeaways
- Google identified four hacking groups — Falcon, Helix, Pink, and Redact — using voice phishing calls to breach US financial firms.
- Targets reportedly include Apollo Global Management, Bain Capital, Blackstone, Bridgewater Associates, CME Group, KKR, Moody’s, and TPG, per Reuters.
- Google tracks the activity under a broader collective called UNC6671, though it’s unclear if the groups are affiliates or independent operators.
- Ransom demands typically range from $750,000 to $3 million, and one wallet tied to the campaign received roughly $10 million in bitcoin this year.
Voice Phishing Attacks Targeting US Financial Firms
Unknown hackers are breaking into large financial and investment firms across the country with one clear goal: stealing sensitive corporate data they can later use to extort victims by threatening to publish it. Google’s security researchers detailed the campaign in a report published Thursday, describing a pattern of attacks that leans on human error rather than software exploits.
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