Ukrainian Police Arrest Ransomware Gang That Affected More Than 50 Companies

Ukrainian police have arrested a ransomware gang that has hit more than 50 companies in Europe and the United States. The gang is said to have stolen more than $1 million in total.

The Ukrainian authorities cooperated with the security forces from the United Kingdom and the United States for this action. They arrested a 36-year-old man from Kiev who, along with his wife and three acquaintances, planned and carried out cyber attacks against more than 50 companies in the European Union and the United States.

The Ukrainian police press release reveals that the gang spread a ransomware virus via emails that then encrypted data on the affected systems. After that, the gang demanded a ransom via cryptocurrencies in order to make the encrypted data available again to the affected parties. A member of the gang also used the ransomware to obtain bank card details from British residents, after which goods were purchased through web shops for later resale.

A total of nine house searches were conducted during the investigation. It also revealed that the gang helped foreign hackers in their hacking attempts.