Earlier today Lockbit ransomware group claimed to have ransomed Mandiant, one of the largest Cyber Security firms in the United States with heavy ties to United States government contracts. Lockbit made these claims in the midst of the popular RSA security conference, which Mandiant has sponsored.
Previously, Mandiant claimed Lockbit was (in some manner) associated with EvilCorp, a United States DoJ sanctioned entity. With Mandiant making these claims, Lockbit ransomware group would be unable to receive payments from United States based victims – it would be a felony for companies to pay them.
The claim by Lockbit (of ransoming Mandiant) was an elaborate troll and publicity stunt. Them claiming to ransom Mandiant resulted in chaos in the Threat Intelligence sector, as well as on Twitter. Finally, at the end of the day, Lockbits “leaked ransomed material” was a message to Mandiant.

By Treadstone 71

@Treadstone71LLC Cognitive Warfare Training, Intelligence and Counterintelligence Tradecraft, Influence Operations, Cyber Operations, OSINT,OPSEC, Darknet, Deepweb, Clandestine Cyber HUMINT, customized training and analysis, cyber psyops, strategic intelligence, Open-Source Intelligence collection, analytic writing, structured analytic techniques, Target Adversary Research, strategic intelligence analysis, estimative intelligence, forecasting intelligence, warning intelligence, Disinformation detection, Analysis as a Service