Police Arrest Conti and LockBit Ransomware Crypter Specialist (bleepingcomputer.com) 25
The Ukraine cyber police, supported by information from the Dutch police, arrested a 28-year-old Russian man in Kyiv for aiding Conti and LockBit ransomware operations by making their malware undetectable and conducting at least one attack himself. He was arrested on April 18, 2024, as part of a global law enforcement operation known as "Operation Endgame," which took down various botnets and their main operators. "As the Conti ransomware group used some of those botnets for initial access on breached endpoints, evidence led investigators to the Russian hacker," reports BleepingComputer. From the report: The Ukrainian police reported that the arrested individual was a specialist in developing custom crypters for packing the ransomware payloads into what appeared as safe files, making them FUD (fully undetectable) to evade detection by the popular antivirus products. The police found that the man was selling his crypting services to both the Conti and LockBit cybercrime syndicates, helping them significantly increase their chances of success on breached networks. The Dutch police confirmed at least one case of the arrested individual orchestrating a ransomware attack in 2021, using a Conti payload, so he also operated as an affiliate for maximum profit.
"As part of the pre-trial investigation, police, together with patrol officers of the special unit "TacTeam" of the TOR DPP battalion, conducted a search in Kyiv," reads the Ukraine police announcement. "Additionally, at the international request of law enforcement agencies in the Netherlands, a search was conducted in the Kharkiv region." [...] The suspect has already been charged with Part 5 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Unauthorized interference in the work of information, electronic communication, information and communication systems, electronic communication networks) and faces up to 15 years imprisonment.
"As part of the pre-trial investigation, police, together with patrol officers of the special unit "TacTeam" of the TOR DPP battalion, conducted a search in Kyiv," reads the Ukraine police announcement. "Additionally, at the international request of law enforcement agencies in the Netherlands, a search was conducted in the Kharkiv region." [...] The suspect has already been charged with Part 5 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Unauthorized interference in the work of information, electronic communication, information and communication systems, electronic communication networks) and faces up to 15 years imprisonment.
Full marks (Score:3)
Full marks to the Ukrainian police for jumping on this -- given that this is a nation at war with Russia right now.
I feel sorry for Ukraine that there are people like this who do nothing to engender the support of the rest of the world to Ukraine's cause.
Looks like we have the best and the worst of human behavior within the borders of a single nation.
Re: (Score:2)
Good to know that Ukraine's principle tech industry, financial fraud, is still functioning uninterrupted through the war.
Your quote is absolutely perfect for you.
Re: (Score:1)
Keep in mind that Russia has been implementing a 'soft invasion' for a long time, migrating ethnic Russians in to displace Ukrainians in an invisible campaign of genocide.
Re: (Score:1)
Migration is now genocide?
Do you also believe in the right wing's replacement theory? Is the open US southern border an act of genocide? Are Africans and middle easterners coming into Europe part of a genocide?
*eye roll*
The more a word gets abused, misused, and overused, the less value it has.
Just like racism and sexism and a bunch of other -isms don't carry a sting anymore. Don't ruin yet another word.
Re: (Score:2)
When it's a deliberate government policy, it's genocide as per the standard definition. And if you claim it isn't even after Putin followed up with an actual, brutal military invasion, you're either on team Putin or a fucking moron.
Re: (Score:2)
So the United States government and the governments of Europe are committing genocide of their own people.
Okey dokey.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, over the period of several hundred years, most of the ethnic Russian people in the area have lived there for a century or more. The present Ukrainian people migrated to that area a bit earlier and separated from the Rus, displacing the Turks (? some Turkish peoples) before them, who had displaced the Khazaks earlier, and so on all the way back to the arrival of Cro Magnons. That region has seen more invasions, migrations and displacements than almost any other in Eurasia.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Full marks (Score:5, Informative)
That's a primary reason I think supporting Ukraine is important. Their democracy is fledgling but they do seem like they are making the effort.
If other nations are to try the same they should see that the effort comes with with some basic protections and assistance from the existing powers. If you can just as soon get your shit rolled because of it by Russia or China they may as well just join up with them, embrace autocracy. This whole thing kicked off when the Ukranian people desired a path to join the EU.
'faces up to 15 years imprisonment' (Score:2)
Hopefully in a prison near the Russian border where he can benefit from the fraternal efforts of his countrymen
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, they'll probably attack the prison and free him on the condition he joins the forces like they do with convicts on the Russian side :)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, they'll probably attack the prison and free him on the condition he joins the forces like they do with convicts on the Russian side :)
Russia has lost so many troops, it's now going after female prisoners [businessinsider.com] to fill its ranks. I guess when you're losing 1,200 soldiers every day, meat bags have to come from somewhere.
Re: (Score:2)
Russia has had females in combat units for a long time. They believe in equity. ;-)
Re: (Score:2)
1918, IIRC.
Very funny (Score:2)
A "Russian hacker" operating out of Kiev.
Re: (Score:2)
A very large percentage of the population of Ukraine are ethnically Russian, that's a good part of the reason for the current conflict.
Re: (Score:2)
Ukrainian Intelligence just got a new recruit? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Probably. Although defense and attack are different in this space. At the very least they got somebody to help them defend their own infrastructure.
Sigh. (Score:3)
Ukraine can fight against an invasion and still arrest cybercriminals, my country can't even stop the water companies shitting in EVERY river in the country.
Excellent Example of Dutch/Ukrainian Cooperation (Score:2)
and completely unrelated to "Netherlands set to dispatch first F-16s to Ukraine in Summer 2024"
https://www.yahoo.com/news/net... [yahoo.com]