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SBU blocked the "army of bots", which distributed virus programs and carried out DDoS and spam attacks

Written by Amy Ralls | Oct 13, 2021 4:00:00 AM

The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed a hacker who created and administered a powerful botnet - an automated network of more than 100,000 fake accounts. Through it, he carried out DDoS and spam attacks, detected vulnerabilities in websites and hacked them.

As the SBU cyber specialists managed to establish, the attacker turned out to be a resident of Ivano-Frankivsk region. In addition to cyberattacks and hacking, he picked up passwords for e-mail boxes on remote platforms, the so-called "brute force". 

He found customers on closed forums and in Telegram chats, and made payments to "customers" through electronic payment systems banned in Ukraine.

At the same time, according to the investigation, the Prykarpattia resident is a representative of the Russian electronic system of instant payments Webmoney, which is subject to the sanctions of the National Security and Defense Council.

He produced and issued to users certificates of the sanctioned payment system, which are used for transactions.

During searches conducted at the addresses of registration and actual residence of the malefactor, computer equipment with evidence of illegal activity was seized.

Currently, the botnet organizer is preparing a report of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 361-1 (creation for the purpose of use, distribution or sale of malicious software or hardware, as well as their distribution or sale) and Art. 363-1 (interference with the work of electronic computers (computers), automated systems, computer networks or telecommunication networks through the mass distribution of telecommunication messages) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Detection and documentation of the offense was carried out by the SBU in Ivano-Frankivsk region together with the Department of Cybercrime in Ivano-Frankivsk region of the Cyberpolice Department of the National Police of Ukraine, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Ivano-Frankivsk region under the procedural guidance of Kolomyia District Prosecutor's Office.