Threat Actors Arrested in Ukraine

Two threat actors of an unconfirmed ransomware gang have been arrested following a joint operation by international law enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Europol, French Gendarmerie, and Interpol. The arrests occurred last week in Kyiv, Ukraine on two suspects, one being a 25-year-old, who are determined to be key players in a large ransomware threat group. Authorities refused to name the group itself, however it was mentioned briefly that the threat group “was responsible for attacks on more than 100 companies across the world and has caused more than $150 million in damages…Europol said the suspects had been active since April 2020 and that their group was ‘known for their extortionate ransom demands (between €5 to €70 million).'” When authorities arrived on scene, they discovered multiple electronic devices (laptops, desktops, servers, etc.), $375k in cash, two vehicles and $1.3 million in cryptocurrency. Speculation behind the suspected threat group is already growing rapidly, with thoughts of ties to the REvil ransomware group due to their recent activity with very high ransom demands. CTAPT will keep an eye out for additional information on the suspects and provide updates if needed.