The federal government has unsealed an indictment for a Russian national wanted for targeting multiple North Texas companies with ransomware attacks. Aleksandr Ryzhenkov, a 31-year-old Russian national, is allegedly responsible for the attacks which began around 2017. Ryzhenkov and his co-conspirators gained access to the computer networks of businesses in Dallas, Lewisville, Orange, Texas, and an Indiana company with a data center in Dallas, demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin as ransom. The businesses paid over $2 million in ransom, with no guarantee of receiving the decryption key.
Cybersecurity expert Mitch Thornton explained that ransomware attacks are often linked to individuals from other nations, making extradition difficult. Hackers typically use the dark web and VPNs to evade detection, and ransomware attacks can start with simple email tricks to gain access to important data. The FBI Dallas Office is actively searching for Ryzhenkov, who is believed to still be in Russia, possibly in Moscow.
The Justice Department’s indictment against Ryzhenkov highlights the global nature of cybercrime and the challenge of holding perpetrators accountable. Businesses targeted by ransomware attacks face difficult decisions about whether to pay ransoms to regain access to their data. The FBI is working to investigate the case and bring Ryzhenkov to justice for his role in the attacks on North Texas businesses.
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