Map shows locations of affected computers. Source: FBI
The Department of Justice announced charges against a Russian man accused of leading a major hacking scheme whose victims included a tribe in Washington. The tribe wasn't identified and the extent of the damages weren't disclosed. But authorities said they disabled the CryptoLocker Ransomware and GameOver Zeus P2P Malware to prevent further attacks. "This operation disrupted a global botnet that had stolen millions from businesses and consumers as well as a complex ransomware scheme that secretly encrypted hard drives and then demanded payments for giving users access to their own files and data,” Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole said in a press release. “We succeeded in disabling Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker only because we blended innovative legal and technical tactics with traditional law enforcement tools and developed strong working relationships with private industry experts and law enforcement counterparts in more than 10 countries around the world.” More than a million computers worldwide were infected, according to the FBI. Authorities said Evgeniy Bogachev, a Russian citizen, organized the effort. Get the Story:
US disrupts hacking schemes that stole millions (AP 6/2) Relevant Documents:
Deputy Attorney General James Cole Delivers Remarks at Press Conference for Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker Operations (June 2, 2014) | Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell Delivers Remarks for the Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker Operations and Related Criminal Charges (June 2, 2014)
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