Shadow Brokers Exploits: Hacker Group Releases New Vulnerabilities

An anonymous hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers has made good on its promise to release exploits stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency as part its monthly paid subscription service.

Along with the release, the hacking collective announced it would launch a VIP service that will offer exploits on demand for specific services and have threatened to expose an employee of the NSA as part of an apparent blackmail attempt.

Read: WannaCry Ransomware Attack: NSA Disclosed Vulnerability To Microsoft After Learning It Was Stolen By Shadow Brokers

The Shadow Brokers did not provide any details as to what was included in its first batch of vulnerabilities, though it is believed that the exploits were likely more from the trove stolen from the NSA.

According to the group, the first month of its subscription service was a “great success” that resulted in “many many subscribers.” In response to the interest it has received through the first month, the Shadow Brokers increased the price for a subscription in July, asking 300 Zcash (about $98,000) or 1000 Monero (about $47,000).

The Shadow Brokers alluded to the impact of its previous releases with its announcement, citing the recent spread of the Petya ransomware attack that hit more than 12,500 computer systems in 65 countries.

That attack made use of the same Shadow Brokers-released exploit that allowed the spread of WannaCry, another ransomware attack that hit more than one million machines in 153 countries after it was released into the wild in May.

Read: NSA Hacking Tools Used In WanaCry Global Ransomware Attack Targeting Hospitals, Banks And Tech Companies

“Another global cyber attack is fitting end for first month of theshadowbrokers dump service. There is much theshadowbrokers can be saying about this but what is point and having not already being said?” the Shadow Brokers said in a blog post.

In addition to its apparently successful monthly subscription service, the Shadow Brokers also announced they would begin offering a VIP Service.

Instead of just giving access to the group’s curated releases each month, the VIP program—which will cost users 400 ZEC (about $130,000) would allow subscribers to ask for specific vulnerabilities or information about how to exploit certain programs or organizations.

Apparently not satisfied with the results of its efforts thus far, the hacking group is also attempting to blackmail the NSA by threatening to expose one of the agency’s workers who—according to the Shadow Brokers—participated in a cyberattack against China.

In a post that consists mostly of broken English, the group suggests a Twitter user who has written “ugly tweets” about the Shadow Brokers is actually a developer who has built tools used to hack organizations in China.

The Shadow Brokers call the Twitter user “Doctor” but do not mention the actual account. A Twitter user with the handle @drwolfff has claimed he is the person in the crosshairs of the Shadow Brokers, but claims their accusations are false, suggesting he has no role in the NSA or any of its operations.