The United States and the United Kingdom announced economic sanctions against seven alleged hackers working in Russia, just days before the first anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement, the US Treasury Department explains that these are, for the United Kingdom, the “first sanctions of this kind“, which Washington has already applied in other situations.
In the UK, the hackbot group Trickbot "is responsible for extorting at least 27 million pounds (30,5 million euros) from 149 victims", according to a statement from the British anti-crime agency (NCA), noting that among the targets are "hospitals, schools, companies and local authorities".
BUT: 74% of money earned from ransomware goes to hackers with ties to Russia
In the United States, "at the height of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Trickbot affected hospitals and health centers“, clarifies the US Department of the Treasury, which refers to the use of a 'ransomware' system — a computer blocking of files followed by a request for a reward for the ransom — against three medical facilities in the state of Minnesota.
The US Treasury Department has classified Russia as a “a haven for cybercriminals, where groups like Trickbot freely commit malicious cyber activities against the United States, the United Kingdom and their allies and partners".
