Ukrainian authorities have detained a hacker group responsible for attacks on international companies that caused more than UAH 3
billion in losses. The group encrypted servers and demanded ransom in cryptocurrency.
Ukrainian law enforcement officers conducted a special operation to
to neutralize a group of hackers who had been attacking the world's leading companies. Over several years of activity, the attackers caused
more than 3 billion in losses over several years. Three suspects were served
have been notified of suspicion. About this.
UNN reports with reference to the press service of the National Police.
The attackers attacked the world's most powerful companies
France, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States since 2018.
year. As a result of many months of hard work, Ukrainian law enforcement officers with
with the assistance of colleagues from the United States, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany and France
identified the 32-year-old leader of the hacker group and his four
and his four most active accomplices, said Yuriy Vykhodets
Details
The attackers hacked the accounts of employees of leading
global companies. Then they distributed malicious program code in the
the corporate ecosystem. They accessed servers and stole information from them.
information.
After that, the data on the victims' computers was encrypted
and became unusable. For the decryption of information, members of the international hacker group
group demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency for decrypting the information.
In particular, for restoring the servers of one of the
of the leading chemical companies in the Netherlands, the attackers ordered to transfer 450
BTC (bitcoins) to a controlled crypto wallet, which is equivalent to 48
million hryvnias.
It was established that over several years of criminal activity, the attackers
encrypted more than 1000 servers of global enterprises and caused losses in the amount of
of more than UAH 3 billion in terms of national currency
More than 100 police officers arrived in the capital to neutralize the group and analyze
more than 20 law enforcement officers from Norway, France, Germany and the Federal Republic of
Norway, France, Germany, and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. On the
In the Netherlands, Europol created a special working group and a VCP
(Virtual Command Post) to analyze the information obtained during
investigative actions on the territory of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officers conducted
more than 30 authorized searches in the premises and cars of the defendants in
Kyiv region, as well as in Cherkasy, Rivne and Vinnytsia regions.
Computer equipment, cars, bank and SIM cards, "Kryvyi Rih
bank and SIM cards, "draft" records, as well as dozens of electronic media
information and other evidence of illegal activity. In particular, almost 4 million hryvnias and
UAH and cryptocurrency assets. The issue of seizure of the seized property is being resolved.
property.
Supplement
Investigators
The Main Investigation Department of the National Police opened criminal proceedings under:
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ч. 2 Art. 361
(Unauthorized interference with the operation of information (automated), electronic
communication, information and communication systems, electronic communication
networks),
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ч. 2 Art.
361-1 (Creation for the purpose of unlawful use, distribution or sale of
malicious software or hardware, as well as their distribution or sale),
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ч. 4 Art. 189
(Extortion) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Three offenders were served a notice of
of suspicion.