Ransomware group REvil attacked Apple supplier Quanta Computer in April and was able smuggle schematics detailing the design of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. These were announced earlier this week.
The schematics actually revealed the design of the new machines. REvil also threatened to release additional documents if Apple didn't pay $50 million ransom by May 1. REvil mysteriously deleted all documents and threats pertaining to Apple from its website days later.
Although we haven't heard anything about REvil's attack against Apple, it turned out that there was a multicountry operation to eliminate the ransomware group. According to Reuters, REvil was hacked by several government agencies and taken offline by them this week.
According to one person who was familiar with the situation, the hacking operation that broke into REvil's computer architecture was carried out by a foreign partner. An ex-official from the United States, speaking under anonymity, confirmed that the operation is still in progress.
The "Happy Blog" of REvil that was used by the hacker group to leaked stolen documents has been taken down and is now unavailable. After law enforcement and intelligence experts were able to hack into REvil’s computer network in July, the hacker group was also taken offline. However, it returned last month and servers that had been compromised by the government were used again for this second takedown.
REvil was also responsible in May for the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline, which caused gas shortages along the East Coast of United States.
