"DoJ Charges Alleged Raccoon Infostealer Operator"

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has charged an alleged operator of the Raccoon Infostealer malware, which infected millions of computers. The DoJ also revealed that in March, the FBI and law enforcement partners dismantled the malware's infrastructure. Because of its ease of use and ability to be easily customized, Raccoon Infostealer was one of the most prolific information stealers in 2021. Raccoon Infostealer has been available as a service for $200 per month since 2019. Cybercriminals may use spear phishing, fake installers, and other methods to infect victims with malware and steal personal information such as login credentials or financial information. The DoJ announced that a 26-year-old Ukrainian national, Mark Sokolovky, was arrested by Dutch authorities in March and was being charged for his alleged role in conspiring to operate the infostealer as a service. According to the DoJ, Sokolovky is currently being held in the Netherlands in response to a US extradition request. According to Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, this case underscores the importance of international cooperation that the DoJ and partners use to take down modern cyber threats. Cyber threats do not respect borders, as evidenced by the number of potential victims and the global scope of this attack, making international cooperation even more critical. According to US authorities, Sokolovsky could face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering offenses, five years for conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and a two-year term for aggravated identity theft. In addition to charging Sokolovsky, the FBI announced that it had collaborated with law enforcement agencies in Italy and the Netherlands to bring down the infrastructure supporting Raccoon Infostealer and take its then-current version offline. This article continues to discuss the DoJ charging the alleged Raccoon Infostealer operator. 

Decipher reports "DoJ Charges Alleged Raccoon Infostealer Operator"