News: 0175169475

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Russian Ransomware Hackers Worked With Kremlin Spies, UK Says (bloomberg.com)

(Tuesday October 01, 2024 @11:26AM (msmash) from the closer-look dept.)


A Russian criminal gang secretly [1]conducted cyberattacks and espionage operations against NATO allies on the orders of the Kremlin's intelligence services, according to the UK's National Crime Agency. From a report:

> Evil Corp., which includes a man who gained notoriety for driving a Lamborghini luxury sports car, launched the hacks prior to 2019, the NCA said in statement on Tuesday. The gang has been accused of using malicious software to extort millions of dollars from hundreds of banks and financial institutions in more than 40 countries. In December 2019, the US government sanctioned Evil and accused its alleged leader, Maksim Yakubets, of providing "direct assistance" to the Russian state, including by "acquiring confidential documents." The NCA's statement on Tuesday provides new detail on the work Yakubets and other members allegedly carried out to aid the Kremlin's geopolitical aims. The exact nature of the hacks against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies wasn't immediately clear.



[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-01/russian-ransomware-hackers-worked-with-kremlin-spies-uk-says



Is it that easy to gain notoriety? (Score:1)

by 50000BTU_barbecue ( 588132 )

"gained notoriety for driving a Lamborghini luxury sports car"

Wow, notorious indeed.

Re: (Score:2)

by OrangeTide ( 124937 )

simple, we must drone strike everyone driving a Lamborghini.

Re: (Score:2)

by JustAnotherOldGuy ( 4145623 )

I should be more uncomfortable with this idea, but I'm not.

Re: Is it that easy to gain notoriety? (Score:2)

by Z00L00K ( 682162 )

As soon as there's a connection to a three letter agency it makes news. Even more so if the agency is famous for secret agents.

Re: (Score:2)

by garyisabusyguy ( 732330 )

It's a head fake, all of the really secret stuff has been moved to four-letter agencies

Not really news (Score:2)

by Baron_Yam ( 643147 )

The Kremlin has been aggressively using cyber warfare for as long as it's been a thing. Relatively low cost, low risk of blowback, significant effect.

And we let them because ... I dunno.

Re: (Score:2)

by garyisabusyguy ( 732330 )

sure vlad, you still pushing Kaspersky Lab tools as well?

Re: (Score:2)

by Archtech ( 159117 )

And you know this... how?

Re: (Score:2)

by Baron_Yam ( 643147 )

If you want to play that game, presumably the next step is where I tell you I read the news and then you dismiss the news as a giant conspiracy.

I'm not playing that game.

So what ? (Score:2)

by nehumanuscrede ( 624750 )

We have hackers in the United States that either work with or work FOR the various intelligence agencies also.

This isn't exactly some ground breaking revelation.

In other news, water is wet and grass is green :|

Re: (Score:2)

by Ksevio ( 865461 )

No, the US doesn't commit these cyber attacks, it's the loosely organized hacker group "Anonymous" which conveniently is untraceable

Re: (Score:2)

by Archtech ( 159117 )

> No, the US doesn't commit these cyber attacks, it's the loosely organized hacker group "Anonymous" which conveniently is untraceable

Except that apparently it takes its orders from "the Kremlin's intelligence services", according to the UK's National Crime Agency. So although "Anonymous" itself is supposedly untraceable, our clever spooks know exactly who controls it.

Re: (Score:2)

by garyisabusyguy ( 732330 )

Russia is a criminal state, the US is not we still prosecute criminals. not employ them

Re: (Score:2)

by Freischutz ( 4776131 )

> We have hackers in the United States that either work with or work FOR the various intelligence agencies also.

> This isn't exactly some ground breaking revelation.

> In other news, water is wet and grass is green :|

Not ransomware gangs though. I wish people like you would stop thinking of the gang of oligarchs that runs Russia as a goverment, even a corrupt government, and start thinking of them as what they actually are, a ruthless mafia cartel that runs a country. It would clear up a lot of misconceptions that a whole lot of people in the west have about Russia.

Evil Corp (Score:1)

by davidwr ( 791652 )

A wholly-owned subsidiary of XiPutin, LLC.

RHAPSODY in Glue!