A Hacking Group Arrested:
Spanish Police has detained the leader of an organized Russian cybercrime group behind the Cobalt malware and Carbanak attacks. Which stole over a billion euros from banks global since 2013. In a coordinated enforcement with law enforcement agencies across the world, including the Europol and FBI. Police arrested the suspected leader of the hacking group in Alicante, Spain.
Carbanak hacking group started its actions nearly 5 years ago by releasing a set of malware attack campaigns such as Carbanak and Anunak to ATM networks and compromise banks. Both from which they swiped millions of credit card trifles from American-based retailers.
Banking Malware:
According to the Europol, the group later raised an impure heist-ready banking malware named as Cobalt. It based on the Cobalt Strike entry testing software. Which was in use until 2016. Europol told that the enormity of the losses is important. The Cobalt malware singly supported criminals to steal up to EUR ten million per heist. In order to compromise bank networks, the group sent malicious spear-phishing emails to hundreds of employees at different banks. Which if opened, infected computers with Carbanak malware. Allowing hackers to transfer money from the banks to fake accounts or ATMs monitored by criminals.
According to the authorities, the criminal earnings also clean via cryptocurrencies. Through prepaid cards connected to the cryptocurrency wallets, which were used to purchase goods such as houses and cars? In early 2017, the group of financially-motivated cybercriminals was found abusing several Google services to issue C&C (command and control) talks for checking and managing the machines of its victims.
In separate news, Ukraine Police declared today the arrest of another member of Cobalt group in Kiev, for selling personal information and developing malware from citizens global.
Head of EC3:
The suspect was operating with Cobalt group since 2016 and also engaged in cyber-espionage actions. He allegedly sold a difference of malicious software in hidden markets that enables anyone to access and control victims’ machines remotely. Steven Wilson is a Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3).
He said “This global operation is a notable success for international police association against a top-level cybercriminal organization. The arrest of the key figure in this crime group illustrates that cybercriminals can no longer hide behind perceived international anonymity. This is another instance where the close cooperation between law persuasion agencies on a worldwide scale and trusted private sector partners is having a major influence on top-level cybercrime.”
