The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has filed charges against a Russian hacker for allegedly waging a crypto ransomware campaign against American institutions . The Department of Justice said Tuesday that it had brought two charges against the suspect in question .
Even the US Government Were Targeted
Law enforcement agencies in Washington, DC, and New Jersey, as well as victims in the healthcare business and others around the nation were among those targeted in the attack .
Wazawaka, m1x, Boriselcin, and Uhodiransomwar are all aliases of Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev. The attack was made in 2020 with LockBit, Boriselcin and Uhodiransomwar. The allegations against Matveev include making demands of up to $400 million and stealing $200 million .
Justice Department Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. said this about Matveev: “From his base in Russia, Matveev allegedly used multiple ransomware variants to attack critical infrastructure around the world including hospitals, government agencies and victims in other sectors . A unified reaction is required to these transnational crimes . We will not back down from punishing the worst offenders in the cybercrime ecosystem.”
Wazawaka Is a Controversial Figure in the Cybercrime World
Russian organizations often launch cryptocurrency-based cyberattacks. For instance one individual has pled not guilty to charges of money laundering in connection with assaults against US infrastructure in 2022. However those operating outside of the law have set their sights on a Ukrainian gas business.
It’s not true that everyone is motivated by evil intent . A “Robin Hood” hacker relieved the Ukrainian government of money intended for the Russian police. This person’s activities are being discussed in the crypto community, despite his desire to maintain his anonymity .
On the other hand Matveev is a different character in the underworld of cybercrime . The media said he had gone rogue in 2022 publishing exploit codes online and mocking security experts and journalists. As a result the editorial staff started distributing selfies and videos of Matveev.
His techniques seem to be in direct opposition to the caution with which ransomware organizations were working in the face of heightened scrutiny and he routinely disclosed details about operations online . His haughty demeanor however, seems to have led to the current action the police have taken against him.