U.S., UK Sanction Evil Corp and Eduard Benderskiy, Expose FSB Ties to NATO Attacks

Oct 1, 2024, 02:17 PM

The United States, in coordination with the United Kingdom and Australia, has imposed sanctions on the Russia-based cybercriminal group Evil Corp and its associates. The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against nine individuals and entities linked to Evil Corp, including Eduard Benderskiy, a former high-ranking Russian intelligence officer and a key enabler of the group. Benderskiy is the father-in-law of Evil Corp's leader, Maxim Yakubets. The UK has also sanctioned 16 members of Evil Corp, subjecting them to asset freezes and travel bans. According to the UK's National Crime Agency, Evil Corp conducted ransomware attacks and espionage operations against NATO allies over a seven-year period on the orders of the Kremlin’s intelligence services, specifically the FSB. The U.S. Department of Justice has also indicted a Russian national in connection with a series of ransomware attacks in Texas and other parts of the U.S. The U.S. Treasury's announcement marks an explicit link between a top ransomware gang and Russian intelligence services.