CICO-SILO14 Cyber Terrorists and Their Local Agents in Legitimate Companies Are Causing Ransomware-Like Harm to Local Business Websites Using Malware and Sophisticated Tools
June 7, 2021
PHOENIX (AGN.News) – CICO-SILO14, CICO-SILO7, and their “undercover agents” are a sophisticated network of cybercriminals within legitimate companies working in the shadows destroying local business websites using malicious software to infect other online programs plus cellphones.
CICO-SILO14 cyber criminals are destroying websites, infecting sites with malware, stealing usernames and passwords from tech companies they work for and providing these credentials to the cyber crime group called CICO-SILO7 and their “undercover agents” embedded in tech companies.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic and Memorial Day weekend into this morning, there is irrefutable evidence that these criminals have continued their malicious activity. They have staged non-stop massive cyber attacks using sophisticated malware in an effort to destroy websites, steal personal data, and more.
Though it’s been reported that the location of these cybercriminals are here in Phoenix and Scottsdale, they have “agents on call” in other communities and other states. These are not some foreign group of cyber criminals. They are right here in Arizona, California, and other places.
How will I know who they are?
The short answer is, you would not know. Be alert when someone wants to be your new “friend” or a friend of a friend out of the clear blue. Exercise caution when on dating sites. They would know of your visit when they hack your email.
They are sometimes thought of as some young adults, some are 25 to 45 years old. Some are the “grandmother” or “grandfather” type. Many of them are over 60 years old, men and women who could be standing right next to you in a grocery store line.
One clue that will help you is they will almost always ask you a simple question. “You live near here?” or Where are you from?” or Where do you live?” or “How are you today?” Here’s where motherly advice comes in, “Don’t talk to strangers.”
Some are retired military or former law enforcement earning post retirement income. Some have qualified for and received private investigator licenses enabling them to do background checks for the hacker’s “Home Office.”.
In an effort to silence their victims, its being reported that CICO-SILO14 cyber criminals are developing a counter-attack smear campaign in case they may need it to defend their malign activity. This campaign is designed to destroy the online or offline reputation of local targets or business owners with the help of their “private investigator” members.
Protect yourself and your family!
Protect your credit cards. They have a “RFID chip” that can be read just by standing within 6 feet of the victim. It’s called RFID skimming. These RFID chips are needed to make “contactless payments” in stores or at a drive thru business.
Cyber criminals are using a scanner that wirelessly scans the victim’s payment card in the same way that a cash register scans it, when making a contactless payment. These scanners are legal and can be bought in regular electronics stores. Little protective wallets are available to store your cards.
Even though the scanner is “legal” there use by criminals is not. The crime is called, “Card-not-present fraud.” This type of fraud is on the rise. Be careful of the “little old lady or man” that wants to “see the new baby” up close. Or the new “date” that wants to “get close” early.
You can also shield the card. Shielding is possible by wrapping the payment card in aluminum foil. This can be done by cutting the foil twice the length and width of the card and wrap it. Though not 100% effective, it reduces the range to about 1 or 2 inches.
Remember, CICO-SILO14 cybercriminals or hackers are “experienced operators” on a mission. Be alert. Always stay vigilant. Keep your distance.
What about my phone?
They hack the phone of victims and listen in on their calls. Once the call ends they will then call the same person and identify themselves as a member of “law enforcement.”
They now proceed to say, “the person you just talked to is being investigated” for some “head-numbing” or “mind-boggling” made-up crime and proceed to ask you to cooperate with them in an ongoing, never-ending “investigation.” Now, as they listen to your next call, they hear your level of belief or disbelief. If they hear you share the “lies” they know you’re primed for the next step, victimize you. It’s all fake.
Now having made contact with you, and lowered your guard, they now start to victimize you and in some cases they have called (using fake numbers) several times seeking your “help” while they steal your identity and learn more about you. This is where the “street team” comes in. Having held a conversation with you, they are now in a position to use your recorded voice (recorded with special software) to make calls to stores, banks, and more pretending to be you.
These are not just cybercriminals
These are very dangerous criminals who have staged “fake accidents” as a cover for murder among other things. Local business owners should be on alert to the danger from these criminals. Be alert for any activity online or offline that would put you or your family at risk.
Ransomware Task Force (RTF) co-chair, Jen Ellis, from cyber-security company Rapid 7 says, “Citizens are being impacted by this (ransomware) every day. It’s having a huge impact on the economy and the ability for ordinary people to access critical services.
These attacks are all about money. They expect their victims to pay them to stop. This is the 21st century version of the protection rackets of the 1920s. It was an old racket that sold security, traditionally physical security, and today it’s online security.
These criminals are saying, “If you want online security then pay us. Give us what we want and then and only then will we stop destroying your program.” This is the message CICO-SILO14 criminals are sending.
No one should pay criminals to stop doing criminal things. They will use those funds for other forms of organized crime. If you notice your website is malfunctioning it may be infected with malware. If someone contact you shortly after the hack to fix it, you may be a victim.
What are the signs you are a victim
One of the first things CICO-SILO14 will do is hack your phone. They want access to your text messages. Who are you texting and about what, about who, or about going where (to stalk you). They want the contact list of people who call you or who you call. They will now use publicly available data or stolen data about those contacts to see what, if anything they can use to exploit this new target.
Next a new cycle of victimization starts with one of those contacts as a new target. They are known to stalk their victim. Follow you to the Mall or into stores, to the gym, to the beach, and more. If you appear to be a threat to them or their group, they will stage an “accident” (a one car accident) in an effort to end the threat.
If you do not have security protection for your device, they will use very sophisticated software to read your email or camera images of you or looking for images of a personal nature like checks, drivers licenses, insurance cards, medicare cards and more.
They have agents in phone companies. They will exercise an option to hack your phone or destroy your phone. This will cause an unsuspecting victim to go to the same phone store outlet and get a new phone. It being new, they can now infect it with malware before you get security software installed. Be sure to set the phone with a pin code to access the phone immediately.
How can I help?
There is a $50,000 reward being offered to anyone whose tip results in the arrest and conviction of these CICO-SILO14 or CICO-SILO7 local cybercriminals. You can remain anonymous. If you or anyone you know are a victim of these criminals, please report it to local law enforcement.
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Written by
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