Hackers Demand $30K in BTC From Schools Amid Bomb Threats
Three foreign schools in Indonesia, one in North Jakarta and two in South Tangerang, got bomb threats later than getting messages from an anonymous sender asking for $30,000 in BTC.
The sender said they had put bombs in the schools and would set them off in 45 minutes if their ransom demand was not satisfied. They said, “A message for EVERYONE.” We have bombs in your school, and if you don’t send us $30,000 to our address within 45 minutes, the bombs will detonate.
Where International Ransom Comes From, Linked to Nigeria
The threat , which came from a Nigerian phone number (+234), was written in English and sent to almost all of the targeted schools at the identical time. The person who sent the message told school workers not to call the police because they said it would set off the bombs right away. Even though the threats were quite severe, school authorities rapidly called the police, putting the securety of students and staff ahead of the ransom demands.
Police Response and securety Steps
The police acted rapidly and sent bomb disposal crews to all the places that were affected. AKBP Victor Inkiriwang, the chief of police in South Tangerang, said that they did comprehensive searches and found “no explosives or bombs or anything like that.”
later than sterilizing tests at the relevant campus, the authorities in North Jakarta also confirmed that there were no dangers. The synchronised police action calmed the school communities and kept people from panicking while investigators worked on the matter.
Very Little Connection to Crypto
Upon closer examination, the provided in the ransom communications was found to be fake and couldn’t be located on any Indonesian cryptocurrency platforms or the broader blockchain network.
Law enforcement worked closely with professionals in the cryptocurrency industry to confirm the address, which further supports the idea that the threat was a bluff intended to scare people and cause difficultys, rather than a genuine attempt to obtain a cryptocurrency ransom.
Lessons Learned From The Ongoing Investigation and Cybersecurity
Authorities are still searching for the person or group responsible, but they haven’t yet determined who is behind the incident or why it occurred. There have been no further threats reported at Indonesian schools, so the situation remains stable.
However, it highlights how digital ransom schemes are becoming increasingly common in areas such as and public securety. The example illustrates the importance of responding rapidly, collaborating with other countries, and utilising to combat current extortion attempts involving cryptocurrency.
