Peter Yuryevich Levashov, 32-years-old Russian estimator programmer, suspected of operating the Kelihos botnet — a global network of over 100,000 infected computers that was used to deliver spam, bag login passwords, in addition to infect computers amongst ransomware in addition to other types of malware since only about 2010, the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday.
As suspected earlier, Levashov, too known every bit Peter Severa, is the same homo who has too been listed inward the anti-spam grouping Spamhaus, which has given him the seventh seat inward the list.
The arrest was made possible afterward the FBI learned only terminal calendar month that Levashov was traveling amongst his household unit of measurement to Espana from his habitation inward Russia, a province without whatsoever extradition treaty to the United States.
Initially, it was believed that Levashov was detained on suspicion of 2016 US election hack, afterward his married adult woman told Russian publication RT that authorities said her husband’s apprehension was inward usage due to his interest inward the U.S. election hacking, including the notorious breach of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
However, the DoJ press unloosen indicates no link betwixt Levashov in addition to US election hack at all.
Instead, Levashov was linked to the Kelihos botnet yesteryear the FBI because he used the same IP address to operate the botnet that he used to access his electronic mail in addition to other online accounts inward his name, including Apple iCloud in addition to Google Gmail accounts.
According to the indictment unsealed Monday, Levashov operated the botnet since 2010, targeting Microsoft Windows machines for infection. He allegedly used Kelihos to distribute hundreds of millions of spam emails per year, in addition to pump-and-dump stock scams.
Besides conducting spamming operations, prosecutors too alleged Levashov too used the Kelihos botnet to infect end-user computers amongst malware in addition to harvest passwords to online in addition to banking concern accounts belonging to thousands of Americans.
"The mightiness of botnets similar Kelihos to hold out weaponized rapidly for vast in addition to varied types of harms is a unsafe in addition to deep threat to all Americans, driving at the heart in addition to soul of how nosotros communicate, network, earn a living, in addition to alive our everyday lives," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco.
The FBI officials obtained courtroom orders (Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure) to redirect Kelihos-infected PCs to servers operated yesteryear authorities — a procedure known every bit "Sinkhole attack" — in addition to to block whatsoever attempts yesteryear the botnet to find command of those sinkholed computers.
"Our success inward disrupting the Kelihos botnet was the lawsuit of rigid cooperation betwixt mortal manufacture experts in addition to constabulary enforcement, in addition to the usage of innovative legal in addition to technical tactics."
The FBI said it worked amongst safety theater CrowdStrike in addition to Shadowserver Foundation, a volunteer grouping of data safety experts, to deploy the sinkhole assault to disconnect communications betwixt criminals in addition to infected computers.
Levashov has been charged amongst wire fraud in addition to unauthorized interception of electronic communications. The authorities is straightaway seeking his extradition to the United States.
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