Russia arrests hacker in US Colonial Pipeline cyberattack
- The individual was detained when officers raided the homes of members of ransomware gang REvil, seizing nearly US$7 million in currencies and 20 luxury cars
- The arrests mark a rare example of cooperation between Moscow and Washington, as tensions run high over a build-up of Russian troops near the Ukraine border
In a sweeping operation, Russia detained members of a notorious ransomware gang at the request of the US, including a hacker behind last year’s attack on the Colonial Pipeline.
Law enforcement raided the homes of 14 members of the gang REvil and seized currencies worth nearly US$7 million, cryptowallets and 20 luxury cars, according to a statement on Friday by Russia’s Federal Security Service, known as FSB. Authorities in the US have been informed that the group was shut down, it said.
REvil, short for Ransomware-Evil, has been among the most prolific cyber gangs and was accused of leading a flurry of attacks last year against companies and organisations, including one last May on plants in North America and Australia for meatpacker JBS SA, which eventually paid an US$11 million ransom.
In a call Friday with reporters, a senior Biden administration official said it welcomed the actions taken by the Kremlin. The US and Russia had set up a experts group on ransomware in June and have been sharing information, including about attacks on American critical infrastructure, the official said.
Among those arrested was an individual responsible for the May hack of Colonial Pipeline Co., the official said. That attack led to panic buying of petrol across the US East Coast and a major US government response.