Feds Sanction Russian Hacker Group Called 'Evil Corp' Following $100M Hack

The U.S. government on Thursday announced sanctions on a Russian hacking group called Evil Corp, and announced a reward for the capture of its leader in connection with the distribution of malware that hit banks around the world in a $100 million theft.

What To Know About Evil Corp

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said Evil Corp used the malware, called Dridex, to harvest login credentials. Overall, the software has caused millions of dollars to banks and customers, the agency said.

The Justice Department also said it has charged two Evil Corp members with crimes after a an investigation conducted in coordination with British officials.

And the U.S. State Department announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture or conviction of Evil Corp's leader, identified by the government as Maksim Yakubets.

“Treasury is sanctioning Evil Corp as part of a sweeping action against one of the world’s most prolific cybercriminal organizations," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "This coordinated action is intended to disrupt the massive phishing campaigns orchestrated by this Russian-based hacker group."

Treasury officials said the goal was to deter further distribution of the malware and shut down the organization.

Ties To Russian Government

The Treasury Department's official statement on the effort also tied Yakubets to the Russian government, saying he provides "direct assistance" to malicious cyber-criminal activities by the Russian government. It also noted that Russian Federal Security Service officers have in the past been indicted by the DOJ for hacking.

"The United States Government will not tolerate this type of activity by another government or its proxies and will continue to hold all responsible parties accountable," the Treasury Department statement said.

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