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Law enforcement agencies from the US, UK, and Australia have made a significant announcement today regarding the identification of the leader of the LockBit ransomware gang. According to British authorities, the leader, known by the alias LockBitSupp, has been identified as a Russian individual.
The Russian man has been subjected to travel restrictions and had his assets frozen, according to Europol. In addition, US authorities have issued a reward of $10 million for any information that could lead to the arrest or conviction of the Russian leader. Europol recently disclosed that based on seized data, over 7000 attacks utilizing the Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model were attributed to LockBit between June 2022 and February 2024.
"The sanctions play a crucial role in our battle against the cybercriminals associated with the LockBit ransomware group," emphasized Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Crime Agency, in an interview with The Register. "Their actions have inflicted immeasurable harm on educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and prominent corporations worldwide."
The punitive measures imposed on the LockBit leader are part of the second phase of Operation Cronos. The operation was initiated in February, with a joint effort from Europol, the British National Crime Agency, and the FBI, resulting in the seizure of LockBit's website. It has been reported that the ransomware gang utilized the website to expose confidential information stolen from their victims.
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