Ukrainian cops collar Kyiv programmer believed to be Conti, LockBit linchpin An alleged cog in the Conti and LockBit ransomware machines is now in handcuffs after Ukrainian police raided his home this week. The 28-year-old Kyivan's identity is being kept a secret for now, but he faces a potential maximum sentence of 15 years if found guilty of violating the Criminal Code of Ukraine relating to the …
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/police-arrest-conti-and-lockbit-ransomware-crypter-specialist/
Not that even if he was Ukrainian they could trust him not to turn his gun on his fellow soldiers and/or try to defect. If they take back that nuke plant in Zaporizhzhia they could make him change the control rods by hand. That seems like a good job to give ransomware scum.
Rubber-hose cryptanalysis ?
For the many, many people who have had businesses destroyed by Conti, Lockbit etc.
Supposedly, one variant was specfically targeted at students and photographers, deliberately
locking very specific files to do as much damage as possible quickly with a custom message implying that
files would also be leaked unless payment was promptly made.
To Putin's war on Ukraine has been that Ukraine has become more cooperative in arresting its citizens that are involved in ransomware/malware attacks, as they've had to be more responsive to that since they are dependent on the US/EU for military aid. The patriotic hackers had already turned their target towards Russia, the ones who are in it only for themselves continued in their ways so I'm glad some of those will be getting their just desserts.
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