Australia has imposed sanctions on a suspected Russian leader of a global cybercrime network.

The Australian government announced today that Dmitry Khoroshev, a Russian citizen believed to be in charge of the notorious ransomware group LockBit, has been slapped with financial sanctions and barred from entering the country. According to authorities, Khoroshev played a key leadership role in the group's operations.

LockBit is known for its malicious activities, targeting various sectors of the economy for financial gain. Their ransomware attacks have affected businesses in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In fact, the Australian government revealed that LockBit was responsible for 18% of all reported ransomware incidents in the country between 2022 and 2023, victimizing 119 individuals and companies.

Earlier this year, an international law enforcement operation, codenamed "Operation Cronos," successfully disrupted LockBit's operations by taking control of the group's server and exposing details about its activities and members. The operation, which involved the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Signals Directorate, is still ongoing and aims to further investigate and disrupt LockBit's criminal operations.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Chris Goldsmid of the AFP Cyber Command stated that by exposing Khoroshev's identity, they have dealt a major blow to his reputation in the world of cybercrime. Goldsmid emphasized the significant damage caused by LockBit since 2019, estimating billions of dollars in losses globally and millions in Australia alone.

As part of the government's efforts to combat cybercrime, Khoroshev has been placed under a new sanction under the cyber sanctions framework. This makes it a criminal offense to provide any form of support or deal with his assets. Khoroshev joins Alexander Ermakov, another Russian citizen, as the second alleged cybercriminal to be sanctioned by Australia. Ermakov was penalized last year for his involvement in a cyber attack on a health insurance provider.

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