DOJ Offers $10 Million Reward to Track Down Alleged Russian Ransomware Hacker

(Image credit- Yahoo News) The alarming increase in cybercrimes and ransomware assaults is a persistent problem on a global scale, and the recent indictment of Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, also known as Wazawaka, is simply the most prominent flare-up in a protracted struggle to stop these horrific and expensive crimes. A $10 million reward and an investigation are the results of Matveev's accusations. According to the report, Matveev has been charged with both planning and carrying out several ransomware operations for which he was paid more than $200 million in ransom payments, as well as conspiring to extort more than $400 million from victims on behalf of the Lock bit, Babuk, and Hive ransomware gangs. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Image credit- Times of Malta[/caption] A $10 million reward has been set up for any information that helps find Matveev and bring him to justice as a result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Department of Justice, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the New Jersey District Attorney's Office. Matveev's sophisticated crimes have been made public, and this has led to the assignment of the reward. Ransomware is harmful software, often known as malware, that blocks access to a computer system unless money or cryptocurrency is paid. The STOP/DJVU ransomware family was the first to encrypt files and demand a ransom payment in 2019, even though ransomware had roots in the late 1980s.

Attack of Babuk Against Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Dept

After the initial attack was successful, multiple other variants were made available to target weak systems, many of which belonged to vital infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and government buildings. One of the most destructive cyber dangers is because the attacks affect every industry and geographical area. A ransom demand of at least $78 million was made to the Lockbit ransomware organization after it first appeared in January 2020. The group went on to perform more than 1,400 attacks throughout the globe. After three months, the Babuk organization appeared and perpetrated at least 65 ransomware instances, collecting at least $13 million in ransom payments. According to estimates, the Babuk gang, which has its headquarters in Britain, used malicious software to attack the Washington, D.C.-based Metropolitan Police Department, infecting the networks and demanding a $4 million ransom. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Image credit- Yahoo News[/caption]

The Case of Mikhail Pavlovitch Matveev: Ransomware's Effects on Cybercriminals

The Hive ransomware group started its own operations in June 2021, inflicting damage on an estimated 1,400 victims and collecting at least $120 million in ransom payments. Both of the charges against Matveev, including colluding to send ransom demands and purposely causing damage to protected computers, mention Matveev by name. The maximum sentence for Matveev, if found guilty, is more than 20 years. According to a report, by the DOJ, $10 million is still up for grabs as a reward for information that results in Matveev's capture and conviction. Numerous law enforcement organizations and criminal justice specialists devote a lot of time and resources to combating the growing threat posed by ransomware offenders, making the fight against them a long and arduous one. Also read: WordPress’s website builder has been updated three times this year The reality is that these sophisticated gangs are becoming more powerful and capable, despite the faint glimmer of hope offered by cases like Mikhail Pavlovitch Matveev's.