US Treasury Department blacklists Bitcoin addresses linked to Iran ransomware group

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has blacklisted 7 bitcoin wallet addresses linked to members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The section said successful a Sept. 14 property release that the Iran-based malicious cyber actors person launched ransomware attacks against the U.S. since 2020. The radical is said to person attacked the New Jersey municipality, immoderate U.S-based children’s hospitals, and a big of backstage establishments.

The IRGC-affiliated individuals see Mansour, Ali Ahmadi, Mohammad Ahmadi, Mahdavi, Rashidi, Khatibi, Nikaeen, Mostafa, Mojtaba, and Shakeri. They had worked for Najee Technology and Afkar System companies to motorboat their malicious activities.

Four of the backlisted bitcoin (XBT) wallets were linked to Nikaeen Ravari and portion 3 belonged to Ahmad Khatibi Aghada. The duo is said to person helped the IRGC make and deploy ransomware that threatened the nationalist information of the U.S.

As a effect of the sanction, the Treasury has seized each properties belonging to the designated individuals successful the country. U.S persons and institutions are prohibited from transacting with them, arsenic anyone indicted volition beryllium subjected to further sanctions.

Secretary of the Treasury Brain E. Nelson said:

“We volition proceed to instrumentality coordination enactment with our planetary partners to combat and deter ransomware threats, including those associated with the IRGC.”

The Treasury besides offered up to $10 cardinal successful rewards for immoderate accusation that volition pb to the apprehension of Mansour, Nikaeen, oregon immoderate of the designated individuals.

Ransomware Attackers opting for Bitcoin

Between 2011 and 2021, over $5 billion worthy of Bitcoin has been paid retired to ransomware attackers, according to a survey by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

The ransomware onslaught against Colonial Pipeline successful 2021 forced the American institution to wage retired $4,4 cardinal successful Bitcoin to the DarkSide hackers.

A caller study by CipherTrace reveals that ransomware attackers who opt to person their payments successful Bitcoin usually adhd betwixt 10% to 20% premiums. The other complaint is to woody with the hazard of utilizing easy traceable cryptocurrencies similar Bitcoin.

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