Russia Busts Revil Ransomware Group on US Request, Arrests 14 Members

Russian instrumentality enforcement agencies person dismantled the notorious hacking radical Revil, believed to beryllium down ransomware attacks successful the U.S. involving cryptocurrency. Although Moscow is improbable to manus implicit Russian citizens to Washington, the cognition has been carried retired connected petition from the United States, contempt heightened geopolitical tensions betwixt the 2 powers.

Russia’s FSB Hits Cybercrime Group Revil

On Friday, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) announced it has conducted raids against Revil successful the superior Moscow, St. Petersburg, Leningrad, and Lipetsk regions, unneurotic with the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). Law enforcement officers searched 25 addresses and detained 14 alleged members of the organized transgression group.

Funds worthy implicit 426 cardinal rubles ($5.6 million) including cryptocurrency, $600,000 and €500,000, arsenic good arsenic crypto wallets, machine instrumentality utilized to perpetrate crimes, and 20 high-end vehicles purchased with wealth obtained from transgression activities were seized, the FSB elaborate successful a property release, emphasizing:

As a effect of the associated actions of the FSB and the MVD, the organized transgression assemblage ceased to exist, the accusation infrastructure utilized for transgression purposes was neutralized.

FSB added that the arrested individuals person developed malicious bundle and organized the theft of funds from overseas slope accounts. Russian officials assertion to person “established the afloat composition” of Revil and the engagement of its members successful the “illegal circulation of means of outgo and documented amerciable activities.”

US Welcomes Russian Actions Against Hackers

Russia’s main instrumentality enforcement bureau besides said that the cognition has been conducted connected petition of the respective U.S. authorities who shared accusation astir Revil’s presumed person and his portion successful attacks connected overseas high-tech companies done malicious bundle utilized to encrypt information and extort wealth for its decryption.

The Russian Interfax quality bureau reported that the Tverskoy Court of Moscow has held 2 Russians successful custody until March 13 — Roman Muromsky, a 33-year-old entrepreneur and web developer with nary erstwhile convictions, and Andrei Bessonov, alleged Revil hacker. They person been charged with committing crimes nether Part 2 of Art. 187 — “Illegal circulation of means of payment” — of Russia’s Criminal Code. The MVD has asked the tribunal for akin measures against different 3 detainees.

Revil has been blamed for high-profile crypto ransomware hits successful the United States, including the 1 connected the Colonial Pipeline which caused state shortages connected the American East Coast past May. Its perpetrators utilized ‘Darkside’ encryption bundle believed to person been developed by the group. Another lawsuit was the onslaught connected the world’s biggest nutrient packing company, JBS, arsenic Reuters reported successful June.

In its announcement, FSB noted that Russia has informed U.S. authorities astir the results of the operation. The United States welcomed the arrests, with Reuters quoting a elder authoritative arsenic stating: “we recognize that 1 of the individuals who was arrested contiguous was liable for onslaught against Colonial Pipeline past spring.” A root acquainted with the probe told Interfax that Russia is not going to extradite immoderate Revil members with Russian citizenship to the U.S.

Do you expect Russia and the U.S. to cooperate connected different cases of cyberattacks involving ransomware and cryptocurrency? Tell america successful the comments conception below.

Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons

Disclaimer: This nonfiction is for informational purposes only. It is not a nonstop connection oregon solicitation of an connection to bargain oregon sell, oregon a proposal oregon endorsement of immoderate products, services, oregon companies. Bitcoin.com does not supply investment, tax, legal, oregon accounting advice. Neither the institution nor the writer is responsible, straight oregon indirectly, for immoderate harm oregon nonaccomplishment caused oregon alleged to beryllium caused by oregon successful transportation with the usage of oregon reliance connected immoderate content, goods oregon services mentioned successful this article.