Operator of a Hosting Used by Cybercriminals to Distribute Malware Sentenced to 3 years in Jail
Read also: Germany’s first National Security Strategy dismisses counter cyber-attacks, the Dutch authorities publish International Cyber Strategy for 2023-2028.
Thursday, June 15, 2023
An operator of PowerHost bulletproof hosting service sentenced to 3 years in prison
Romanian national Mihai Ionut Paunescu, also known as “Virus”, has been handed a 3-year sentence for running a bulletproof hosting service used by cybercriminals to distribute a variety of banking and info-stealing malware families, including the Gozi, Zeus, SpyEye trojans, and the Russia-linked BlackEnergy malware observed in attacks against government organizations and critical infrastructure companies in Ukraine and the US.
Paunescu’s company also provided cyber crooks with servers and IP addresses rented from legitimate providers that criminals could use as command-and-control infrastructure to launch DDoS attacks or distribute email spam.
Paunescu was arrested in Colombia in 2021 and was extradited to the US in July 2022. He pled guilty in February 2023. In addition to his prison sentence, Paunescu was ordered to forfeit over $3.5 million and pay roughly $19,000 in restitution.
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The Chilean authorities arrest an Army corporal in connection to a May ransomware attack
Chilean authorities detained an Army corporal for his alleged involvement in a Rhysida ransomware attack affecting the internal network of the Chilean Army in May 2023.
The Army corporal was charged with breaching the law on computer crime and placed in a pretrial detention.
Officials did not specify the role of the suspect in the ransomware attack. As per media reports, authorities have seized and are examining the suspects’ electronic devices.
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Two Suspects Accused of the massive 2011 Mt.Gox crypto heist
Two Russian nationals, Alexey Bilyuchenko and Aleksandr Verner, have been charged in the United States for their alleged involvement in the 2011 hack of Mt. Gox, one the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
Prosecutors allege that Bilyuchenko, Verner and their fellow conspirators breached a server holding cryptocurrency wallets for Mt. Gox containing customers’ digital coins and the corresponding private keys used to authorize cryptocurrency transactions. Between September 2011 and May 2014 the threat actors stole nearly 647,000 bitcoins valued at some $450 million. It’s worth noting that Mt. Gox never recovered from the theft and shut down in 2014.
In addition, Bilyuchenko is also facing separate charges related to operating the infamous Russian crypto exchange BTC-e shut down by the authorities in 2017. Bilyuchenko and Verner are being charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and are facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Germany’s first National Security Strategy dismisses counter cyber-attacks
The German government announced its first-ever National Security Strategy that focuses on external and internal threats to the country, military, economic, and social risks, as well as climate change and cybersecurity.
The document outlines some measures to boost the country’s cyber capabilities, including the creation of a new federal agency to battle severe cyber-attacks.
However, Berlin says it rejects the idea of using hack-backs (a practice of launching counterattacks aimed at disabling or collecting evidence against a suspect) as a means of cyber defense.
The Dutch authorities publish International Cyber Strategy for 2023-2028
The Dutch government presented its official international cyber strategy for 2023-2028 aimed at countering digital threats.
The document is focused on combating both nation-state and cybercrime threats, as well as strengthening democratic and human rights principles, and maintaining a globally connected, open, free and secure internet.
The Dutch authorities are also working on a bill that would allow the country’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies to extend warrants received against targeted hacker groups to their victims as well.
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Key Dutch has been working in information technology and cybersecurity for over 20 years, starting his first job with Windows 95 and dial-up modems. As the Editor-in-Chief of our Cybercrime Prosecution Weekly blog series, he compiles the most interesting news about police operations against cybercrime, as well as about regulatory actions enforcing data protection and privacy law. 
