The US and UK Sanction Members of a Cybercrime Group in Russia

On Thursday, September 7, the United States and the United Kingdom sanctioned 11 members of a cybercrime group based in Russia known as "Trikbat." The US State Department issued a statement indicating that Russia has long been a haven for cybercriminals, including the "Trikbat" group. According to the statement, this action was taken by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department. Brian Nelson, the US Deputy Treasury Secretary for Financial Terrorism, stated, "Cybercriminals, including those based in Russia, are seeking to attack critical infrastructure, target US businesses, and exploit the international financial system." The UK government also released a statement asserting that the group is responsible for hacking critical infrastructure and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic and has threatened opponents of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Simultaneously, the US Department of Justice announced the issuance of an indictment against nine individuals, including seven of those sanctioned on Thursday, related to the "Trikbat" malware and the "Conti" ransomware schemes. Last Monday, the Canadian Communications Security Establishment reported that Russia and Iran are safe havens for cybercrime, where criminals can target Western countries. The report also stated that Russian intelligence services and law enforcement certainly have relationships with cybercriminals and allow them to operate with impunity as long as they focus on targets outside the former Soviet Union. Moscow has consistently denied committing cybercrimes or supporting hackers.