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Conti-linked Suspect Arrested in Ukraine to Face Up to 15 Years in Prison if Found Guilty

June 13, 2024 – Published on TechTimes

Ukrainian authorities have apprehended a 28-year-old man from the Kharkiv region, suspected of providing critical support to the notorious LockBit and Conti ransomware groups. 

This individual allegedly developed crypters, tools used to encrypt malicious payloads. By obscuring them, it’s now easier to bypass security detection even with the strongest software.

The police found out that the suspect’s crypters were purportedly sold to the Conti and LockBit syndicates, which utilized them to disguise their file-encrypting malware effectively. These crypters played an important role in successful ransomware attacks, including an incident at the end of 2021, where Conti members infected computer networks in the Netherlands and Belgium with hidden malware.

This arrest is part of a stringent initiative to combat cybercrime, with several significant arrests and takedowns in recent months.

However, new RaaS groups and alliances have stemmed from these takedowns. Recent findings by GuidePoint Security revealed connections between a current RansomHub ransomware affiliate and the infamous Scattered Spider gang, previously linked to BlackCat. 

These connections were identified through shared tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), including social engineering attacks to hijack accounts and targeting CyberArk for credential theft.

Read More HERE.