In a significant move against cybercrime, the governments of the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have jointly sanctioned a network of Russian-based hosting providers known for enabling ransomware attacks and various cybercrime activities. This coordinated effort targets both the infrastructure and individuals involved, notably including a Bitcoin address linked to Aleksandr Volosovik, the general director of one of the sanctioned companies.
The entities facing these sanctions are Media Land LLC and ML. Cloud LLC, along with two senior employees, Aleksandr Volosovik and Kirill Zatolokin. U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley emphasized the role of these “bulletproof” hosting providers in facilitating cybercriminal operations that threaten businesses in the U.S. and allied nations.
Bulletproof hosting providers are known to offer services that allow cybercriminals to operate with impunity, hosting illegal content and ignoring law enforcement requests. The sanctions implemented make it illegal for anyone to engage with assets owned or controlled by the designated individuals or entities, effectively freezing their operations.
This latest round of sanctions marks the fifth activation of Australia”s autonomous cyber sanctions framework, a testament to the commitment of the Australian government to combat malicious cyber activities and uphold national security. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stated that dismantling such networks not only imposes costs on criminals but also enhances the resilience of Australia against future cyber threats.
Volosovik, also known by the alias Yalishanda, was added to the U.S. Department of the Treasury”s Specially Designated Nationals List along with a specific Bitcoin address (XBT 18dLDAWi8LmrHbEq3QzDJb9SLxCf4uimXB) associated with him. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis is currently monitoring numerous addresses and substantial cryptocurrency transactions connected to Yalishanda and his enterprises.
Chainalysis revealed that the hosting services provided by this network were integral to the execution of cyberattacks, serving various underground exchanges, laundering-as-a-service providers, and ransomware operators, including connections to the sanctioned Lockbit ransomware administrator, Dmitry Khoroshev.
In a related announcement, the U.S. Treasury also sanctioned former Canadian Olympian Ryan James Wedding and several associates involved in crypto-enabled money laundering. Wedding”s criminal organization is accused of using cryptocurrencies to facilitate drug trafficking, with sanctions aimed at severing his links to the U.S. financial system.
These actions by allied governments underscore the growing recognition of the role of cryptocurrency in facilitating illicit activities and the necessity for international cooperation to combat cybercrime effectively.
