“Offending or being rude to targets for no reason is prohibited,” DarkSide stated. “We aim to make money through normal and calm dialogue.”
Another vital rule adopted by DarkSide, together with most different Russian-speaking cybercriminal teams, underscores a actuality about modern-day cybercrime. Anyone dwelling within the Commonwealth of Independent States, a assortment of former Soviet republics, is strictly off limits to assaults.
Cybersecurity specialists say the “don’t work in .ru” stricture, a reference to Russia’s nationwide area suffix, has turn into de rigueur within the Russian-speaking hacking group, to keep away from entanglements with Russian legislation enforcement. The Russian authorities have made it clear they may hardly ever prosecute cybercriminals for ransomware assaults and different cybercrimes outdoors Russia.
As a consequence, Russia has turn into a international hub for ransomware assaults, specialists say. The cybersecurity agency Recorded Future, primarily based outdoors Boston, tracks about 25 ransomware teams, of which about 15 — together with the 5 largest — are believed to be primarily based in Russia or elsewhere within the former Soviet Union, stated a risk intelligence skilled for the agency, Dmitry Smilyanets.
Mr. Smilyanets is himself a former hacker from Russia who spent 4 years in federal custody for cybercrimes. Russia specifically has turn into a “greenhouse” for cybercriminals, he stated.
“An atmosphere…
