July 22, 2024 at 08:11AM
Two members of the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR) hacktivist crew, Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko, have been added to the US sanctions list for their alleged roles in attacks on US critical national infrastructure. These attacks included remote manipulation of controls and compromising SCADA systems. Other cybercriminal activity, such as the LockBit ransomware group, has also been prosecuted successfully in the US.
During the meeting, it was discussed that two members of the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR) hacktivist crew, Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko, have been added to the US sanctions list. The US government has alleged that they were involved in attacks on US critical national infrastructure, including low-impact DDoS attacks in Ukraine and attacks on US and European water facilities.
CARR claimed responsibility for attacks on human-machine interfaces controlling OT systems in the US and Poland, resulting in the manipulation of controls and overflowing of water storage tanks in Texas. Additionally, CARR is said to be responsible for an attack on a US energy company’s SCADA system.
While Degtyarenko, a Russian national, is implicated in these attacks, it was noted that instances of major damage to victims have so far been avoided due to CARR’s lack of technical sophistication.
Furthermore, the meeting discussed the arrest and guilty plea of two members of the LockBit ransomware group, Mikhail Vasiliev and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, in the US. Vasiliev was sentenced to four years in prison for ransomware crimes and pleaded guilty to further charges, while Astamirov admitted to two counts related to computer abuse and wire fraud.
The US Department of Justice stated that Vasiliev conducted ransomware attacks against at least 12 victims in the US and around the world, causing at least $500,000 in damage and losses. The successful convictions were emphasized as an important milestone in the ongoing effort to disrupt and dismantle ransomware groups and bring cybercriminals to justice, according to the principal deputy assistant attorney general and the special agent in charge at FBI Newark.