Leader of Russian hacker group LockBit sanctioned by US, UK and Australia
Pravda Ukraine
On 7 May, the US, UK and Australia imposed sanctions on Dmitry Khoroshev, the Russian leader of the LockBit hacker gang, which is responsible for the development and distribution of LockBit ransomware.
Source: US Treasury Department, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Khoroshev has been designated for his role in the dissemination of LockBit malware, which has enabled hackers to steal tens of millions of dollars from their victims.
Concurrently, the US Department of Justice has charged the Russian national with 26 counts of designing and administering a malicious cyber operation, while the State Department has offered a US$10 million reward for information leading to Khoroshev’s arrest.
Prior to this ruling, the US government had taken various actions against Russian cybercriminals involved in ransomware, including the disruption of the LockBit ransomware infrastructure and sanctions against LockBit group affiliates.
Background:
- In February, the US Department of Justice charged two Russian nationals, Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratiev, also known as Bassterlord, with active involvement in this hacker gang. Both are accused of participating in numerous attacks on dozens of users in the US, Asia and the Middle East between 2020 and 2021.
- The US State Department is offering a US$10 million reward for information that will help identify or locate them.
- LockBit is regarded as one of the most prolific such gangs in the world, targeting over 2,000 victims in the US and other countries and extorting over US$120 million.
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