The U.S. Justice Department has recently levied charges against 11 Russian men in connection with the notorious Conti ransomware gang, known for orchestrating major cyberattacks worldwide. Simultaneously, both the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.K. government have issued sanctions against these individuals, making the uncommon move of publicly asserting explicit ties between the accused cybercriminals and Russian intelligence. The indictments, unsealed on Thursday, reveal that the 11 men are alleged to have played key roles in operating Conti and developing Trickbot, a malicious software used by Conti to infiltrate victims’ computer networks.
This significant development comes as Conti has operated with apparent impunity since 2020, conducting high-profile cyberattacks and extortions against various organizations, including San Diego’s Scripps Health and Ireland’s national health care system. The U.K.’s sanctions announcement adds a geopolitical dimension, stating that Conti was “one of the first to offer support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, maintaining links and receiving tasking from the Russian Intelligence Services.” Furthermore, the U.S. Treasury Department alleges that Trickbot’s developers have direct ties to Russian intelligence services. Despite long-standing suspicions of connections between Russia’s cybercriminal activities and state-sponsored operations, this marks a rare occasion where explicit accusations have been made by the U.S. and U.K. governments. However, the challenge of arresting these individuals is compounded by Russia’s constitutional prohibition on extraditing its citizens.
SOURCE: NBC NEWS | NOVEMBER 27 2023
