Tag: bitcoin
Russian Authorities Arrest FBI’s Most Wanted Hacker
The FBI’s most wanted hacker, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, dubbed the “Moriarty” of cybercrime, has finally been arrested by Russian authorities. Described by the FBI as a “prolific” cybercriminal, Matveev has had a $10 million bounty on his head for any information leading to his arrest since 2023. The arrest is a turning point on the part of the Russian authorities, as cybercriminals have long seen Russia as a safe haven. According to intelligence sources, this could either represent an attempt to try and legitimize the Russian economy or an indication that the state is taking back control of cyber-attacks on Western economies.
Cryptocurrency Laundering Top Dog Arrested
Russian-Swedish native Roman Sterlingov has been sentenced to twelve years in prison for his alleged involvement in Bitcoin Fog, the longest-running cryptocurrency laundering service on the dark web. Sterlingov reportedly operated Bitcoin Fog for a decade and processed over 1.2 million Bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time of the transactions. Bitcoin Fog ran from 2011-2021 and quickly garnered a reputation among the dark web community as the “go-to” cryptocurrency “mixer” for cybercriminals looking to hide their illicit funds from law enforcement. Bitcoin Fog would pool the “dirty” cryptocurrency and redistribute it in order to make the funds untraceable. According to court documents, the cryptocurrency laundered was mainly derived from darknet marketplaces tied to illegal narcotics, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material.
Big Tech’s rapidly-shrinking green credentials
Big Tech is currently performing a rather awkward fan dance, trying to cover up its rape and pillage of the earth’s more finite resources with its rapidly shrinking green credentials. Silicon Valley’s green credentials may, however, soon vanish altogether under the vast amount of e-waste the rapid rollout of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has already started to generate. Measures such as the installation of waterless urinals and charging points for e-vehicles for Big Tech staff are merely Silicon Valley window dressing for what has always been an incredibly dirty and polluting industry. Named after the material used to manufacture semiconductors in Intel’s chip fabrication plants, Silicon Valley began with an ugly reputation for allowing vast amounts of toxic chemicals to seep into the local environment, allegedly making their way into the bodies of workers and children. Californian locals ruefully commented that the area should be renamed “Cyanide Valley”, as the notorious poison, which is used in the manufacture of semi-conductors, was claimed to have seeped into local soil and water sources.
Hackers infiltrate SEC’s X Account to Boost Bitcoin
A cybercriminal in Alabama, suspected of hacking into the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) X account, has been arrested. He is accused of using the compromised account to post fake messages, causing the value of Bitcoin to boost by $1,000. Hacker Eric Council Jr, also known as “EasyMunny” and “AGiantSchnauzer,” was allegedly able to secure the credentials for the SEC’s X account through a method called “Sim Swapping.” The council created a fake ID using the stolen personal information of someone who had access to the X account. With the fake ID, he was able to purchase a SIM card linked to the victim’s phone in a cellphone provider store in Alabama, giving Council access to the victim’s personal information and log-in credentials.
‘Ransomania’ Ransomware Repository Launches – February 19th
Cyberint announced the launch of 'Ransomania' a free-to-use ransomware attack repository featuring thousands of recorded ransomware attacks. Ransomania allows users to browse a global map of ransomware hotspots, filtered by region, industry, and time of attack.
SEC X Account Hacked to Push Bitcoin ETFs – January 10th
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed through a spokesperson and social media announcements that the agency's X (formerly Twitter) account was compromised to promote Bitcoin ETFs. Bitcoin's value spiked to nearly $48k as a result of the false Tweet, despite being taken down just 30 minutes after being published.
Blockchains lose $1.8 billion to cybercrime
Web 3.0, the blockchain version of the traditional internet that hosts decentralized blockchain crypto-currencies, lost over US$1.8 billion in 2023 to cybercrime. Newly released findings from cybersecurity firm Certik’s latest Hack3D Annual Report cast a pall over the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s much-anticipated approval of up to a dozen Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds) on Wednesday. It will also cast a long shadow over the hoped-for institutional acceptance of crypto-currencies by influential financial entities, including Swift, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ). In the second half of last year, the SEC scrutinized a series of proposals, notably extending review periods for Bitcoin ETF applications from major firms like BlackRock, ARK, and Fidelity.
Cybersecurity Executive Admits to Hospital Hacking for Business Gain – November 20th
In a startling revelation, Vikas Singla, the former COO of cybersecurity firm Securolytics, confessed to hacking two Georgia hospitals in June 2021 to enhance the company’s profile. Singla disrupted services at Gwinnett Medical Center hospitals, stealing patient data and publicizing the breach on Twitter. Facing 17 counts of computer damage and one count of information theft, Vikas Singla agreed to pay over $817,000 in restitution. Due to health issues, prosecutors recommended 57 months of probation, raising concerns about cyber threats jeopardizing public safety and healthcare data.
North Korea steals $40m in cryptocurrency in one day
On Tuesday (August 22), the FBI announced that cybercrime groups directly linked to the North Korean government had stolen $40 million worth of cryptocurrency in a single day. The heist is said to be the work of TraderTraitor-affiliated actors (also known as Lazarus Group and APT38).