US govt warns of sanction risks for facilitating ransomware payments

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today said that organizations that assist ransomware victims to make ransom payments are facing sanctions risks as their actions could violate OFAC regulations.

• Sergiu Gatlan
• October 01, 2020
• 11:51 AM
• 1

EU sanctions Russian espionage unit, Chinese and North Korean firms

The Council of the European Union today announced sanctions imposed on a Russian military espionage unit, as well as on front companies for Chinese and North Korean threat groups involved in cyber-attacks targeting the EU and its member states.

• Sergiu Gatlan
• July 30, 2020
• 02:52 PM
• 0

New Webinar: Choose Your Own Investigation — Browser Attack Edition

Modern attacks have shifted focus to the browser, yet detection tools remain largely blind to the crucial activity happening there.

Join Push Security on February 11th for an interactive "choose-your-own-adventure" webinar on ClickFix, credential phishing, and other in-browser attacks we've observed in the wild.

• Push Security Sponsorship

North Korean Hackers Behind WannaCry and Sony Hack Sanctioned by USA

The U.S. Treasury signed sanctions against three hacking groups actively engaged in cyber operations meant to bring financial assets to the government of North Korea..

• Ionut Ilascu
• September 13, 2019
• 08:16 PM
• 1

Microsoft-Owned GitHub Blocks Devs in US Sanctioned Countries

A developer in the Eastern European region of Crimea has found himself at the receiving end of limitations to his GitHub account due to trade control regulations imposed by the US.

• Ionut Ilascu
• July 27, 2019
• 01:06 PM
• 1

Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Ban Sale of US Tech to Chinese Companies

Bipartisan Telecommunications Denial Order Enforcement Act (H.R. 602) was introduced today to impose a ban on selling US technology to Huawei and ZTE, as well as other Chinese companies in violation of sanctions laws and export control.

• Sergiu Gatlan
• January 16, 2019
• 04:30 PM
• 2

Making a Ransomware Payment? It May Now Violate U.S. Sanctions

Thinking about making a ransomware payment? If so, you may want to think twice before doing so as it could land you in trouble for violating U.S. government sanctions.

• Lawrence Abrams
• November 30, 2018
• 12:02 PM
• 1

USA Sanctions Russian Entities Over Alleged Ties to Russian FSB

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today that they have imposed sanctions on five Russian entities and 3 Russian individuals for allegedly being controlled by or aiding Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) in the operation of cyber attacks.

• Lawrence Abrams
• June 11, 2018
• 03:12 PM
• 0

Chinese Mobile Device Maker ZTE Banned From Buying U.S. Goods

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced yesterday that Chinese telecommunications company, ZTE, has been banned from purchasing goods from U.S. companies. This order was issued due to a breach of a settlement between ZTE and the US government after ZTE was found violating Iran and North Korea

• Lawrence Abrams
• April 16, 2018
• 03:48 PM
• 1

New version of the CryptoMix Ransomware Using the Wallet Extension

A new variant of the CryptoMix ransomware was discovered that appends the email addresses shield0@usa.com & admin@hoist.desi along with the .Wallet extension. This makes it the third ransomware using .wallet, with the first being Dharma and then Sanctions. Unfortunately, the reuse of an extension is only going to confuse victims.

• Lawrence Abrams
• May 01, 2017
• 04:46 PM
• 1

The Week in Ransomware - March 31st 2017 - Sanctions, Android, and Creepy Skulls

Lots of Android ransomware news this week even though Google feels they are pretty rare. Also some updates to tools created by Michael Gillespie (CryptoSearch & ID-Ransomware), a new PyCL ransomware being distributed via RIG, and ransomware asking for 6 bitcoin ransoms while making fun of USA sanctions on Russia.

• Lawrence Abrams
• March 31, 2017
• 06:41 PM
• 3

Sanctions Ransomware Makes Fun of USA Sanctions Against Russia

If you want to know what some ransomware developers think about the USA, you can get a good idea from the ransom note of the Sanctions Ransomware. Dubbed Sanctions Ransomware due to the image in the ransom note, the developer makes it fairly obvious how he feels about the USA and their attempts to sanction Russia.

• Lawrence Abrams
• March 31, 2017
• 03:53 PM
• 3