RAT Developer Arrested for Hacking Over 10,000 Computers

An investigative team from the Ukrainian National Cyber Police has arrested the 25-year-old developer of  RAT malware, which infected over 10,000 computers while posing as a game application.

Employees of the Department for Countering Cybercrime of the Khmelnytskyi region were able to expose the 25-year-old offender by investigating the cybercrime he committed.

The investigative department of the regional police and the regional SBU department has disclosed this malicious activity along with the employees of the Khmelnytskyi region.

RAT Developer Arrested

The 25-year-old attacker has created viral software that he marketed as a gaming application that could be installed on computer systems and laptops.

Law enforcement officers searched the suspect’s residence and seized equipment involved in illegal activities. The investigation observed that more than 10,000 computers were accessed by the attacker as a result of his attack.

In fact, the suspect could connect to almost 600 infected computers in real-time during the search, which he could control remotely.

A criminal charge has now been filed against the arrested individual for violating part 5 of Article 361 of Ukraine’s criminal law, which prohibits unauthorized interference with:-

• Automated information
• Electronic communication
• Information and communication systems
• Electronic communication networks

It is likely that a prison sentence of 15 years will be imposed for the above offense.

Hacking Over 10,000 Computers

The threat actor has managed to gain access to over 10,000 computers in the past couple of days, as we’ve mentioned above. While the law enforcement and police officers found and confiscated equipment and materials used by the malware operator to carry out the malicious acts when they raided the suspect’s house.

If the threat actor can gain access to the computer, he can do the following illicit activities:- 

• Download files
• Steal credentials
• Drop additional payloads
• Install programs
• Delete programs
• Grab screenshots
• Intercept sound from the microphone on the computer
• Intercept video from the camera on the computer

A lot of information is still unclear about whether the attacker only targeted Ukrainian victims or if he also targeted computers in other countries.

It has already been mentioned that the malicious threat has been discovered by the employees of the department for countering cybercrimes in the Khmelnytskyi region, as well as the investigative department of the regional police and the regional SBU department.

This type of threat has been proven to be quite hazardous, and people should be aware of this kind of attack in the future.

In the present day, there is no doubt that such threat attacks have grown in number at a rapid pace.

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