Australia sanctions Russians linked to cyber attacks
Two Russian tech firms have been blacklisted by Australia for helping criminals launch devastating ransomware attacks that have crippled local businesses.
Australia has slapped sanctions on two “two Russian cybercrime service providers” linked to cyber attacks targeting Australians.
Media Land LLC and ML. Cloud LLC are Russian sister companies offering so-called bulletproof hosting services – no-questions-asked web hosting services for criminals.
They are bulletproof because they ignore requests from authorities to shut down illegal websites, letting cyber criminals operate freely without risk of being taken offline.
Under the sanctions imposed on Thursday, anyone who uses either company or deals with their owners could face up to 10 years behind bars and heavy fines.
The owners, Aleksandr Volosovik and Kirill Zatolokin, are also banned from entering Australia.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government was “taking strong steps to strike back against malicious cyber activity”.
“These actions are about defending our national security and ensuring Australians can live and work safely in a digital world,” Mr Marles said.
“This latest cyber sanction builds on previous actions and demonstrates our relentless pursuit of those who seek to harm Australians.
“These sanctions don’t just impose costs on criminals, they dismantle the infrastructure that enables cybercrime.
“By disrupting these networks, we make it harder for others to launch attacks and it strengthens Australia’s resilience against future threats.”
Media Land LLC and ML. Cloud LLC have given criminals the means to launch ransomware and malware attacks on “Australian financial institutions, Australian businesses, their customers, and critical international infrastructure”, according to a government statement.
Clients include hacking groups LockBit, Blacksuit, and Cl0p, all of which specialise in a strategy called double extortion.
They first steal sensitive data by breaking into a victim’s network and then use in-house ransomware to encrypt it.
To give the data back, they demand a ransom, threatening to leak the stolen information publicly – the first extortion – and keep the files encrypted – the second extortion – unless they are paid.
Thursday’s action came after Australia’s domestic spy chief warned China could crash the nation’s financial, telecommunications and utilities systems in a “high-impact sabotage” event using its elite teams of state-backed hackers.
The Australian Signals Directorate also warned last month that Beijing’s cyber soldiers were “routinely” hunting “Australian government networks for cyber espionage purposes” and targeting critical infrastructure.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke vowed the government would “continue to do everything we can to break down the networks and alienate the individuals who are driving cyber attacks against Australia and Australian interests”.
“This is one of the fastest growing threats our country faces and our government will ensure we are ready to face it,” he said.
The sanctions were imposed in co-ordination with the UK and the US.
Originally published as Australia sanctions Russians linked to cyber attacks
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