Cyber police exposed hacker group in attacks of foreign companies with encryption virus
Using malware, hackers encrypted data and demanded a ransom to restore access. More than 50 companies in Europe and America were affected by illegal actions. The damage reaches more than a million US dollars.
The activities of the hacker group were exposed by employees of the Cyber Police Department together with the Main Investigation Department of the National Police, employees of the SBU and in cooperation with law enforcement colleagues from the UK and the USA.
The organizer of the group, a 36-year-old from Kiev, together with his wife and three acquaintances carried out cyberattacks on foreign companies.
Using malware such as Ransomware, those involved encrypted the data of the victims. The ransomware virus hit the equipment through spam mailings to e-mail boxes. The ransom for the restoration of access to the data was received by three executors on their own crypto wallets.
According to preliminary data, more than 50 companies were affected by the attacks. The total amount of damage reaches more than a million US dollars.
In addition, at the behest of foreign hackers, the defendants provided services for changing the IP addresses of users. As a result, the latter were able to covertly carry out illegal activities.
It was also established that one of the defendants was wanted by law enforcement agencies of other states. So the offender with the help of a “virus” received the data of bank cards of customers of British banks. At the expense of the victims, the attacker bought various goods in online stores and subsequently resold them.
Police officers, together with law enforcement officers from Great Britain and the United States of America, conducted 9 searches in the homes of the defendants and in their cars. Computer equipment, mobile phones, bank cards, flash drives and three cars were seized. Employees of the TOR unit of the Patrol Police Department were also involved in the searches.
Criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Art. 361 (Unauthorized interference in the operation of computers, automated systems, computer networks or telecommunication networks), part 2 of Art. 361-1 (Creation for the purpose of using, distributing or marketing malicious software or technical means, as well as their distribution or sale), Art. 209 (Legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Investigative actions continue. Procedural management is carried out by the Office of the Attorney General.
Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine
