Ukraine’s cyber police have successfully arrested a 31-year-old hacker responsible for a cybercrime operation targeting the bank accounts of US and Canadian users. The suspect employed trojanized software, distributed through various websites he administered, and promoted these sites extensively through advertising campaigns. The malware, affecting both desktop and Android operating systems, infiltrated victims’ devices, allowing the hacker to compromise Google accounts and online banking information. Subsequently, the hacker sold access to these breached accounts on the dark web, receiving payments in Bitcoin.
Authorities reveal that the suspect, active since 2017 and shifting to phishing in 2021, had accomplices maintaining darknet accounts, whose identities remain unknown. The police seized the suspect’s luxury items, including a $65,000 Mercedes-Benz SUV, during the arrest on February 14. The hacker now faces potential imprisonment of up to 8 years, along with property confiscation, based on charges related to the Criminal Code of Ukraine.