The Boy Who Cried Ransomware: The Trustworthiness of Ransomware Groups

This blog examines the mistrustworthy behavior of major ransomware collectives—highlighting LockBit’s LockBit 3.0 release and bug-bounty claims, Conti’s contested shutdown and ties to other groups, Black Basta’s possible links to former Conti/REVil members, and AstroLocker’s pivot—arguing that researchers should treat public claims with skepticism and maintain active monitoring to identify credible trends and threats.