August 13, 2024 at 01:38PM
US has charged Belarusian-Ukrainian cybercriminal Maksim Silnikau for malvertising and ransomware offenses dating back to 2011. An international investigation led to his arrest in Spain and extradition to the US. Silnikau’s associates face charges too. His alleged crimes include engaging in malvertising and operating ransomware-as-a-service, leading to substantial financial losses.
Key Takeaways from Meeting Notes:
1. Maksim Silnikau, a Belarusian-Ukrainian cybercriminal, has been charged and indicted in both New Jersey and Virginia for offenses related to malvertising and ransomware.
2. Silnikau, also known by various online aliases, was extradited to the US from Poland and has been accused of being the founder of the first-ever ransomware-as-a-service group, Reveton.
3. The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) led the international operation that resulted in Silnikau’s arrest in Spain, and it described him as an “elite cybercriminal” and “one of the world’s most prolific Russian-speaking cybercrime actors.”
4. Silnikau’s alleged associates, Volodymyr Kadariya and Andrei Tarasov, are also facing charges in the US, but they have not yet been arrested.
5. The suspects are accused of various cybercrime endeavors, including a malware and malvertising scheme and involvement in the distribution of Angler, an exploit kit considered highly effective during its heyday.
6. The Department of Justice is committed to bringing cybercriminals who target US victims to justice, regardless of their location.
7. Silnikau’s charges in New Jersey are linked to long-running malvertising campaigns, while the second indictment in Virginia relates to his alleged role as a ransomware boss at the Ransom Cartel group.
8. Silnikau is alleged to have recruited affiliates to work for the Cartel and provided them with intel to carry out attacks. He was also responsible for the Reveton ransomware group, which extorted approximately $400,000 from victims every month from 2012 to 2014.
9. If convicted, Silnikau and his associates could face significant prison sentences, with maximum penalties ranging from 10 to 27 years in prison.