The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on the Russian group Aeza and associated individuals for aiding cybercriminals.
Details of the Sanctions
The Aeza group, which provides hosting services to cybercriminals, was sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The announcement notes that Aeza sold access to specialized servers to facilitate ransomware attacks and information theft.
Financial Transactions and Crypto Addresses
The sanctions also involve a cryptocurrency address with $350,000 in holdings, several Russian and UK-based companies, and four Russian nationals linked to Aeza. The address on the Tron blockchain acted as an administrative wallet for handling payments and cash-outs.
Reactions and Consequences of the Sanctions
According to Chainalysis, the sanctions represent a significant move in combating cybercrime. Targeting businesses linked to these services reduces the operation space for cybercriminals, providing new opportunities for law enforcement.
The US sanctions against the Aeza group highlight the authorities' efforts in combating cybercrime by targeting not only individual criminals but also their supporting infrastructure.
