REvil Goes Dark, South Africa Riots, and the Best US Cities to Call Home
Notorious hacking group REvil goes offline without explanation, violence in South Africa, and much more in today's digest.
Good morning. It's Wednesday, July 14, and we're covering one of the world's most notorious hacker groups, violence in South Africa, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected]. First time reading? Sign up here. NEED TO KNOW
REvil Goes OfflineWebsites and operations associated with REvil, one of the most high-profile hacker collectives, went dark yesterday without notice. The ransomware group has also reportedly ceased the dark web portals through which it negotiated payments from its victims. The disappearance comes days after President Joe Biden pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to intervene (the group is believed to be based in Russia). The group pioneered the emerging ransomware-as-a-service approach, selling software capable of paralyzing organizations' IT systems until payment is made. Responsible for recent attacks against IT services provider Kaseya and meat processor JBS, REvil also licensed its software and managed the extortion process for malicious third parties. Observers say three possibilities are likely—US or Russian security officials accessed and shut down the group's servers, the group wants to avoid the scrutiny of being in the middle of US-Russian relations, or an unknown technical problem occurred. South Africa RiotsAt least 72 people have died and more than 1,200 others arrested amid ongoing violence in South Africa following the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma. A number of the victims are believed to have been killed in stampedes amid chaotic looting as crowds broke into local stores. The unrest has thus far been confined to impoverished areas in the country's Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Zuma, who led the country from 2009 to 2018, has faced a long list of accusations during his political career, ranging from fraud to the rape of a family friend. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison last month after refusing to participate in a corruption probe. Separately, he'll reappear in court next week on charges relating to a 1999 arms deal in which he is alleged to have taken bribes as deputy president. Analysts say Zuma's jailing was a catalyst for the airing of broader grievances. The country's unemployment rate sits near 33%, and the nation is grappling with a third coronavirus wave while having fully vaccinated individuals less than 4% of its population. COVID-19 Cases Spike New COVID-19 cases in the US have risen by more than 110% over the past week and a half, with the rolling average currently near 24,000 per day. Hot spots are distributed across the country—California accounted for more than 10% of new cases last week, though Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida saw the biggest case rates relative to population. See a state-by-state breakdown here. Reported COVID-19 deaths, which typically lag a rise in new cases, have ticked upward by about 10% over the same timeframe. The current average of around 250 deaths per day remains the lowest since the onset of the pandemic last March. Health officials say the emergence of the more transmissible Delta variant, combined with loosened restrictions and a boom in summer travel, is fueling the rise. The variant accounted for more than 50% of new cases as of the week ending July 3, the most recent data available. Almost 65% of Americans over the age of 12 have received at least one vaccination dose, while nearly 80% of seniors—the demographic most vulnerable to severe illness and death—are fully vaccinated. Trust in media is at an all-time low. Help spread the word about 1440. In partnership with Public.com PUBLIC MARKETS FOR ALL
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