COURT DOC: Ukrainian Cyber Criminal Extradited For Decrypting The Credentials Of Thousands Of Computers Across The World And Selling Them On A Dark Web Website

The U.S. Department of Justice announced “the extradition of Glib Oleksandr Ivanov-Tolpintsev (28, Chernivtsi, Ukraine) in connection with charges of conspiracy, trafficking in unauthorized access devices, and trafficking in computer passwords.

According to the indictment, Ivanov-Tolpintsev controlled a ‘botnet,’ which is a network of computers infected with malware and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge. He used the botnet to conduct brute-force attacks designed to decrypt numerous computer login credentials simultaneously. During the course of the conspiracy, Ivanov-Tolpintsev stated that his botnet was capable of decrypting the login credentials of at least 2,000 computers every week. Ivanov-Tolpintsev then sold these login credentials on a dark web website that specialized in the purchase and sale of access to compromised computers. Once sold on this website, credentials were used to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, including tax fraud and ransomware attacks.” (Source: U.S. Department of Justice)