US, UK, Australia sanction Russian cyber firm Zservers over ransomware attacks
The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia jointly imposed sanctions on the Russian cyber company Zservers for its role in ransomware attacks, the U.S. Treasury Department announced on Feb. 11.
Zservers, a bulletproof hosting (BPH) services provider, supported the cybercrime group LockBit in perpetrating mass ransomware attacks, the department said.
The sanctions against Zservers build upon penalties the three countries imposed last year against LockBit leaders. Lockbit, a prolific ransomware group, has carried out thousands of cyberattacks in the U.S. and Europe, resulting in losses of billions of euros.
"Ransomware actors and other cybercriminals rely on third-party network service providers like Zservers to enable their attacks on U.S. and international critical infrastructure," said U.S. Treasury official Bradley T. Smith.
"Today's trilateral action with Australia and the United Kingdom underscores our collective resolve to disrupt all aspects of this criminal ecosystem, wherever located, to protect our national security."
The U.S. sanctions target Alexander Igorevich Mishin and Aleksandr Sergeyevich Bolshakov, both Russian nationals and adminstrators of Zservers. Their assets have been frozen and they are prohibited from financial transactions with institutions or individuals in the U.S.
Financial institutions or other persons that do business with Zservers could also be exposed to sanctions.
In addition to Mishin and Bolshakov, the U.K. named four other Zservers employees in its action against the company.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has built a corrupt mafia state driven by greed and ruthlessness," U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement.
"It is no surprise that the most unscrupulous extortionists and cyber-criminals run rampant from within his borders. This government will continue to work with partners to constrain the Kremlin and the impact of Russia's lawless cyber underworld."
The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions against Russian hacker networks and cybercriminals.
Russian hacker groups have engaged in various forms of cyber warfare throughout the full-scale war, including cyberattacks against Ukraine, hacks of civilian infrastructure in Europe, and interference in foreign elections.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled willingness to step up sanctions against Russia in order to pressure Putin to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
