A dual Russian-Israeli citizen, Rostislav Panev, 51, has been arrested for developing the notorious LockBit ransomware operation. Panev, who earned approximately $230,000 between June 2022 and February 2024, was apprehended in Israel and awaits extradition to the United States.

LockBit’s Impact and Operations:
– Targeted over 2,500 entities across 120 countries
– Affected 1,800 U.S. organizations
– Generated approximately $500 million in illegal profits
– Victims included hospitals, schools, government agencies, and critical infrastructure

Technical Evidence:
– Investigators found administrator credentials for dark web repositories
– Discovered access to LockBit control panel and StealBit data exfiltration tool
– Panev admitted to developing code for disabling antivirus software and deploying malware

Related Cybercrime Enforcement Actions:

1. NetWalker Ransomware Case:
– Romanian affiliate Daniel Christian Hulea sentenced to 20 years
– Ordered to forfeit $21.5 million
– Targeted healthcare sector during COVID-19 pandemic

2. Raccoon Stealer Development:
– Ukrainian developer Mark Sokolovsky sentenced to 5 years
– Operated malware-as-a-service for $200 monthly
– Must pay $910,844.61 in restitution

3. Credit Card Trafficking Case:
– NYC resident Vitalii Antonenko sentenced for SQL injection attacks
– Involved Bitcoin money laundering
– Targeted hospitality and research institutions

Despite LockBit’s infrastructure seizure in Operation Cronos, the group reportedly plans to release version 4.0 in February 2025, though its success remains uncertain given ongoing law enforcement actions.