JBS Pays $11 Million Ransom to Russian Hackers Despite Restoring Operations
Global beef supplier JBS pays $11 million to the REvil ransomware gang to prevent data leaks, even though most of its systems are already back online. This high-profile payment follows a similar ransom decision by Colonial Pipeline.
JBS, the world's largest beef supplier, pays approximately $11 million in ransom to the Russian-speaking hacker group REvil following a damaging cyberattack in May. The breach forces meat processing plants across the U.S. and Australia to temporarily shut down, disrupting global food supply chains. The hackers encrypt the company's files and demand a large bitcoin payment in exchange for a decryption tool and a promise not to leak stolen data.
Despite having the vast majority of its facilities operational at the time of the payment, JBS voluntarily sends the money to mitigate unforeseen risks and ensure no data is exfiltrated. CEO Andre Nogueira describes the payment as a very difficult decision but states it is necessary to protect customers. This move directly contradicts the longstanding recommendation from the U.S. government, which advises victims against paying ransoms to cybercriminals.
This massive payment follows recent congressional testimony from Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blout, who defends his own company's decision to pay a different Russian hacking group called DarkSide. The Justice Department recently announces it successfully recovers a portion of Colonial's ransom payment, though the FBI refuses to disclose the exact methods used to seize the cryptocurrency funds.