Google says hackers are calling financial firm employees to hack and extort victims

Cybercriminals are using sophisticated methods to infiltrate and extort financial firms, according to Google's latest report. The tech giant's security researchers identified four hacking groups, named Falcon, Helix, Pink, and Redact, that have been targeting large financial and investment firms in the United States, including prominent private equity companies such as Apollo Global Management, Bain Capital, Blackstone, Bridgewater Associates, CME Group, KKR, Moody's, and TPG.

The hacking groups exploit a technique known as vishing, which involves tricking employees via phone calls on personal cellphones, convincing them to enter their credentials and multi-factor codes on fake websites. Google researchers believe that these hacking groups may be part of a larger collective, tracking them under the name UNC6671.

The groups not only aim to steal sensitive data but also publish it to extort victims into paying a ransom, a common strategy among cybercriminals. Google stated that the groups may be trying to compartmentalize their operations and minimize negotiation fallout. The hacking groups have also targeted other sectors, such as manufacturing, real estate, healthcare, insurance, tech, transportation, and hospitality.

In a recent incident, a cryptocurrency wallet linked to one of the hacking groups received approximately $10 million in Bitcoin within the first few months of this year. Typically, the hackers demand between $750,000 and $3 million from their victims. However, Apollo Global Management, Bain Capital, Blackstone, Bridgewater Associates, CME Group, KKR, Moody's, and TPG declined to comment on the matter.