It was last week when it was revealed that Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks was hacked.
The law firm caters to many powerful people, particularly those in the entertainment industry. The firm confirmed that it was true that they were hacked and now Page Six is reporting that the hackers are actually demanding a ransom of $21 million dollars. If the ransom will not be paid then they will be releasing sensitive data.
It remains to be seen just how damaging the data could be but the hackers have claimed that they have stolen about 756 gigabytes of data. The information may include not just personal correspondence, addresses, non-disclosure agreements, and even contracts. A screenshot of what appears to be pop star Madonna's contract has been released, seemingly as a warning just in case the ransom will not be paid.
According to the Daily Mail, the hacker group REvil has claimed responsibility for the crime. The group is said to be from Eastern Europe and the high profile law firm may just be one of the many companies they have targeted. Apparently, other companies like Zoom, HBO, and even the Texas court system have all been victims of extortion.
In a screenshot that the group posted, aside from Madonna, the other clients seem to be Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Priyanka Chopra, Idina Menzel, Nicki Minaj and many more. As of now, the company claims that they have already hired experts to help them resolve the matters. Even the FBI has gotten involved in the cyberattack issue.
Allen Grubman has often been called the most powerful attorney in Hollywood. As one of the founders of the firm, he will have been privy to many sensitive data regarding his clients. His daughter, Lizzie, works as a publicist for high profile clients like Jay-Z and Britney Spears. She once compared herself to Olivia Pope in the TV series 'Scandal' but the Hollywood version. She deals with everything from clients getting fired and even divorces and arrests.
The firm has already informed their clients of the breach in privacy. This was all done as the whole world has been so focused on the coronavirus pandemic. The hacker group REvil, was also responsible for a cyberattack against Travelex early this year. They also demanded ransom money amounting to $6 million dollars. The company allegedly paid a total of $2.3 million in bitcoins so that their wire and transfer services can function again.