The declaration came as Ukraine addressed a large hack that knocked out government websites, though there was no evidence that the attacks were connected.
REvil members are believed to be responsible for some of the most well-publicized recent ransomware assaults, in which cyber attackers breached the meat supplier JBS, software company Kaseya, and the Colonial Pipeline. The FSB, Russia’s internal intelligence organisation, maintains that the arrests were made at the behest of the US, a rare instance of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. It was no surprise that REvil and his associates lived opulent lives in Russia.
The FSB, arrested 14 individuals and confiscated 426 million roubles ($600,000), 500,000 euros, computer equipment, 20 luxury cars, and many other assets. According to the FSB, the organisation members have been charged and may face up to seven years in jail. A Moscow court put six additional accused members of the ransomware crime gang REvil in custody for two months on Saturday, a day after Russia announced it had disbanded the group at the request of the US. The arrests were made just hours after Ukraine was hit by a cyberattack blamed on Belarussian hackers working with state intelligence. Belarus is Russia’s closest military ally.
Cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated and widespread. The last 18 months have seen a slew of high-profile assaults, including the SolarWinds hack, as well as attacks on the Colonial Pipeline, JBS Meats, and software firm Kaseya. Due to the frequency of ransomware, nations have been pushed to take global action to combat the menace. It was most likely a collaborative effort that allowed the infamous REvil and BlackMatter cartels to be taken offline and the Cl0p ransomware cartel members to be apprehended. Gangs, on the other hand, either rebrand or form new groupings. Recently, LockBit 2.0 was the most active ransomware organisation, with a whopping 203 victims in the third quarter of 2021 alone.
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-Adv. Sabrina Bath
(Content Writer, WCSF)