Cybersecurity experts from the Security Service of Ukraine, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other partner countries, have conducted a large-scale special operation in various parts of the world.
As a result of joint actions, participants of a powerful international hacker group called "LockBit" have been exposed.
According to the case materials, the criminals stole confidential information and personal data from well-known companies, then demanded ransom for them.
Among the organizers and participants of the group were citizens of Ukraine and Russia.
Over nearly 5 years, the criminals carried out more than 3,000 cyber attacks against financial institutions and corporations in Western countries that provide defense assistance to Ukraine.
It has been documented that hackers demanded over $90 million USD from just one American company.
To steal corporate information, hackers used specially developed ransomware programs.
According to the investigation, group members remotely deployed malicious software on users' computers.
Afterward, the "virus" collected sensitive information and then blocked the operation of computer equipment, offering to restore it after receiving payment.
In case of refusal, the criminals threatened not only to paralyze the entire technological process of the affected companies but also to leak their confidential information onto the open network.
As a result of a multi-stage special operation by the Security Service of Ukraine and Western partners, darknet sites of the hacker group have been blocked by law enforcement.
Moreover, in the United States and seven EU countries, more than 30 servers used by the criminals for cyber attacks and where stolen data was stored have been seized.
Additionally, over 200 cryptocurrency accounts of the criminal group have been blocked.
During investigative actions in Ukraine, mobile phones and computers with evidence of illegal activities have been discovered. The material evidence obtained will be provided to international partners for further investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The cyber operation was conducted jointly with the National Police, Europol, and the Office of the Prosecutor General.
