International Crackdown on Russia-Based Zservers Targets Ransomware Threats

The United States, Australia, and Britain have taken joint action against Russia-based Zservers, a service provider aiding Lockbit ransomware attacks. The U.S. Department of Treasury cited national security concerns. Two Russian nationals were designated as key administrators facilitating these cyber threats against critical infrastructure.

The United States, along with Australia and Britain, has implemented measures against Zservers, a Russian service provider linked to the Lockbit ransomware attacks. This move is driven by national security concerns, as announced by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Tuesday.

The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control identified and designated two Russian individuals as central figures in operating Zservers, which acts as a bulletproof hosting service provider (BPH). Bradley Smith, acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, emphasized that ransomware actors and cybercriminals depend on third-party service providers like Zservers for executing attacks on U.S. and international critical infrastructure.

This action builds upon previous sanctions aimed at the Evil Corp ransomware group by the U.S., UK, and Australia last year, illustrating a continued international effort to combat cyber threats.

(With inputs from agencies.)