October 25, 2024 at 03:04PM
Russia has sentenced four REvil ransomware members to prison terms ranging from 4 to 6 years for malware distribution and illegal payment activities. Following a major cyberattack, international pressure led to their arrest by Russia’s FSB, which previously detained 14 gang members and seized $6.6 million.
### Meeting Takeaways:
1. **Legal Action Against REvil Members**:
– Four members of the REvil ransomware group were sentenced to prison for various charges, including illegal circulation of means of payment and distributing malware.
– Sentences:
– Artem Zayets: 4.5 years
– Alexey Malozemov: 5 years
– Ruslan Khansvyarov: 5.5 years
– Daniil Puzyrevsky: 6 years
2. **REvil Ransomware Overview**:
– Launched in April 2019, REvil (also known as Sodin/Sodinokibi) quickly became notorious for high ransom demands, amassing over $100 million in its first year.
– The group faced significant challenges after the Kaseya supply chain attack in July 2021, which affected over 1,500 businesses.
3. **International Pressure and Response**:
– Following the Kaseya attack, U.S. President Biden urged Russian President Putin to act against cybercriminals operating in Russia.
– In January 2022, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) took action against REvil, leading to the arrest of 14 members and the seizure of $6.6 million.
4. **Ongoing Legal Proceedings**:
– Eight members of REvil have been tried; the remaining four (Andrey Bessonov, Mikhail Golovachuk, Roman Muromsky, and Dmitry Korotayev) are facing separate charges for illegal access to computer information.
5. **Infrastructure Breach**:
– Notably, U.S. law enforcement had previously breached REvil’s servers, complicating the gang’s operational recovery after they attempted to resume activities.
This summary covers the key developments related to the legal outcomes of the REvil ransomware operation as discussed in the meeting.