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US Reveals Charges Against Alleged LockBit Ransomware Developer
The United States government has announced charges against a dual Russian and Israeli national accused of developing and maintaining the malware code for the notorious LockBit ransomware group. According to the charges, 51-year-old Rostislav Panev was arrested in Israel pending extradition to the US.
As outlined in the complaint filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Panev allegedly worked as a developer for LockBit since its inception in 2019, contributing to hundreds of ransomware attacks on various entities worldwide. These included hospitals, businesses, government agencies, and more.
The DOJ claims that Panev’s role involved creating custom builds of the LockBit ransomware malware for specific victims using the “LockBit builder” tool. This allows group members to generate tailored versions of the malware for particular targets.
Law enforcement linked Panev to LockBit after discovering login credentials on his computer for a dark web repository containing multiple versions of the LockBit builder. The Israeli police reportedly interviewed Panev, during which he admitted to writing and maintaining LockBit’s malware code.
Some of the code allegedly created by Panev can disable Windows Defender antivirus software, run malware on multiple computers within a network, and print LockBit’s ransom note on all printers in a victim’s network.
The complaint states that Panev initially claimed he was unaware he was involved in illegal activity. It is unclear whether this claim will be contested or admitted during any future legal proceedings.
This latest development marks the third member of the LockBit group to be taken into custody, following the arrests of Mikhail Vasiliev and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, both of whom have pleaded guilty to related charges.
Despite this progress, authorities are still actively seeking the alleged ringleader of the group, Dmitry Khoroshev. A $10 million reward has been offered for information leading to his capture.
The LockBit ransomware group is estimated to have received over $500 million in ransom payments between 2019 and 2024, according to government sources.
Source: http://www.theverge.com
