16 Indicted in Global DanaBot Malware Operation, Facing Decades in Prison
A federal grand jury has indicted 16 individuals for creating and distributing the DanaBot malware, an international cybercrime operation. The defendants, including Aleksandr Stepanov and Artem Aleksandrovich Kalinkin, face significant prison terms.
Operation Endgame, an international law enforcement effort, targeted the cybercriminal group behind DanaBot. The malware, which operated on a malware-as-a-service model, infected over 300,000 computers worldwide, causing at least $50 million in damage. It was used for fraud, ransomware, and data theft, with extensive capabilities like remote access, keystroke recording, and video recording.
Two versions of the botnet were deployed, with the second targeting military, diplomatic, and government entities. The malware was controlled and operated by a Russian cybercriminal organization, with Russian citizens Ruslan Viktorovich Stoyanov and Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev among those charged. Law enforcement seized and took down DanaBot command and control servers, including those hosted in the U.S.
The indictment of 16 individuals for their role in the DanaBot malware operation sends a strong message to cybercriminals. If convicted, defendants like Stepanov and Kalinkin face up to 5 and 72 years in prison respectively. The successful takedown of DanaBot's command and control servers demonstrates the international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
Read also:
- U.S. Spy Satellites Face Growing Cyber Threats, NRO Warns
- China's Automotive Landscape: Toyota's Innovative Strategy in Self-Driving Vehicles
- Strengthening Defense Against Combined Cyber Threats during the Age of Technological Autocracy
- Nissan Fortifies Supply Chain and Cybersecurity with KPMG, PwC Partnerships
