cybercriminal The 33-year-old suspect is known for his exorbitant ransom demands, ranging from 5 to 70 million euros
L' The man was arrested at the end of October. Illustrative photo — A. GELEBART/20 MINUTES
It would be related to at least “115 attacks against French victims” The Paris prosecutor’s office indicated this Tuesday that a man arrested end of October in Canada is suspected; to be a major player in one of the most lucrative ransomware organizations in the world.
The American and European authorities announced, on November 11, the arrest of Mikhael Vasiliev at the airport. the end of October. This Russian-Canadian national is suspected of to have deployed LockBit ransomware to carry out attacks against important infrastructures and large industrial groups in around the world.
A press release d’Europol clarified that this 33-year-old man was known for his exorbitant ransom demands, ranging from 5 to 10. 70 million euros. According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, this man “listed as as being a high level target has been identified as being likely to be affiliated; to several ransomware groups and perpetrators of several malware attacks. against victims spread all over the world (Lockbit, Blackcat, Ragnarlocker, Darkside…)”.
2,000 victims at; around the world
“The first exploitations of computer hardware made it possible to link the individual to the world. the commission of 115 attacks against French victims and nearly 2,000 victims worldwide,” according to the public ministry. The procedure in France has been open in September 2020 at; the cyber section of the Paris public prosecutor’s office at; following “multiple ransomware attacks against companies from all sectors, ranging from SMEs to multinational companies” She has been “entrusted to the Center for the fight against digital crime (C3N) of the command of the Gendarmerie in cyberspace with the assistance of the Research Sections of Marseilles and the Maritime Gendarmerie”.
A forensic investigation was subsequently issued. open to against the individual, “now targeted’ by an international arrest warrant from France and the United States.” He awaits his extradition to the United States, indicated; the US Department of Justice in a statement; last week. The Russian-speaking group LockBit 3.0, using the Lockbit ransomware, is in particular notorious for having disrupted operation of the South Francilien Hospital Center (CHSF) in Corbeil-Essonnes by launching a spectacular cyberattack last August. He also recently claimed; a cyberattack against Thales.