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US charges two hackers with ransomware attacks Cybercrime News

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Russian, Ukrainian citizens staged cyberattacks that affected thousands of businesses, the Justice Department said.

The Biden administration has implicated two alleged hackers, citizens of Russia and Ukraine, respectively, in connection with a wave. ransomware attacks aimed at U.S. companies earlier this year.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported the charges on Monday, saying it recovered $ 6.1 million in a rescue from one of the suspects.

Yaroslav Vasinskyi, a 22-year-old Ukrainian, and 28-year-old Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian citizen, are accused of using REvil ransomware to block the computer systems of American companies and then demand rescue payments to release them.

“Along with our partners, the Department of Justice is not wasting resources on identifying anyone and bringing them to justice wherever they target a U.S. ransomware attack,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters when the indictment was announced.

The two suspects were indicted on various charges.

The U.S. has been accused of helping Vasinskyi write ransomware REvil, which focused on Florida-based software company Kaseya in early July, affecting 1,500 businesses worldwide.

A REvil has also been linked attack on The world’s largest meat processor, JBS SA, earlier this year.

Vasinskyi was arrested in Poland last month at the request of the US, and they have also requested extradition, the Justice Department said.

Meanwhile, Polyanin – who remains free – is accused of carrying out nearly 3,000 ransomware attacks that caused “numerous U.S. businesses and entities,” Garland said.

Ransomware attacks have intensified over the past year, targeting businesses large and small, as well as local governments and hospitals.

A cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline in May disrupted the distribution of fuel in the southeastern United States for several days. The U.S. government said that months later he recovered The majority of the $ 4.4 million ransom paid in cryptocurrency to the perpetrators of the attack.

President Joe Biden welcomed the allegations against the suspects on Monday, saying cybersecurity has been a “top priority” for his administration.

“We are giving full force to the federal government to stop cyber activity and malicious actors, strengthen resilience at home, launder rescue payments to combat virtual currency abuse and take advantage of international cooperation to break the ransomware ecosystem and fix safe ports for ransomware, criminals,” Biden said in a statement .

U.S. prosecutors have joined the arrest of two other ransomware operators linked to REvil by European law enforcement in Romania.

Europol said the arrests were part of a “joint effort to enforce international law” to break cybercriminals, but did not disclose the names of the suspects. In addition, three other suspects linked to REvil have been arrested since February.

Last month, the White House hosted an international virtual summit to fight ransomware, attended by more than 30 countries.

“We intend to work together and with other international partners to improve the exchange of information and provide the requested support through the infrastructure and financial institutions of our territories capable of tackling ransomware activity,” participants said in a joint statement. Event.



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