Hackers have issued a menacing threat to Reddit, warning that they will release stolen confidential data unless the company meets their ransom demand and reverses its contentious API price hikes, according to a report by TechCrunch.
BlackCat Ransomware Gang
The group responsible for the threat is the BlackCat ransomware gang, also known as ALPHV, who claim to have obtained 80 gigabytes of compressed data during a breach of Reddit's systems in February.
Reddit spokesperson Gina Antonini provided confirmation of the cyber incident, although she declined to address specific inquiries from TechCrunch. However, Antonini verified that the claims made by BlackCat are indeed connected to the breach that occurred on February 9.
During that incident, hackers conducted a targeted phishing attack, gaining access to internal documents and employee information.
Christopher Slowe, the Chief Technology Officer of Reddit, who goes by the username KeyserSosa, stated at the time that there was no evidence of personal user data, such as passwords and accounts, being compromised.
Although Reddit has not disclosed additional information about the breach or the identity of the perpetrators, BlackCat recently asserted responsibility for the intrusion and issued a threat to leak "confidential" data seized during the breach.
However, the exact nature of the compromised data remains unclear, as BlackCat has not provided any evidence to substantiate its claims.
This is not the first time the BlackCat ransomware gang has made headlines. In March, they targeted Western Digital, pilfering 10 terabytes of customer information. The group also made threats to expose data allegedly stolen from Ring, a video surveillance company owned by Amazon.
BlackCat, in a post titled "The Reddit Files," stated that they had reached out to Reddit twice, on April 13 and June 16, but received no response.
They expressed confidence that Reddit would not pay the demanded ransom, adding that the current situation presented a perfect opportunity for them to leak the data.
The hackers are demanding a sum of $4.5 million in exchange for deleting the stolen data and for Reddit to revert its API pricing changes.
Reddit's API Pricing Plans
The introduction of Reddit's latest API pricing plans has sparked substantial controversy in recent weeks, leading to notable consequences.
As a direct outcome, the well-known third-party Reddit app Apollo has declared its imminent shutdown, while multiple subreddits have initiated a blackout to voice their opposition against the new API policy.
Notably, certain subreddits such as r/music and r/videos have opted to remain offline indefinitely as part of their protest.
The recent blackout on Reddit, initiated to oppose API policy changes, has instigated extensive debates and potential consequences. As numerous subreddits chose to go offline, the platform has faced disruptions and received backlash concerning its evolving API policies.
Despite the demands from users, Reddit's CEO, Steve Huffman, has adamantly defended the necessity for the platform to evolve and embrace a more professional approach.
However, this resolute position has only served to amplify frustrations within the Reddit community.
In the meantime, dedicated moderators are determined to persist with their protests indefinitely. This ongoing action carries significant implications for Redditors and search results, as users rely heavily on the valuable discussions and shared knowledge typically found within the affected subreddits.
