German Police Name Daniil Shchukin as Leader of Major Ransomware Groups
German police identified 31-year-old Russian Daniil Maksimovich Shchukin as the alleged leader of two major ransomware groups that attacked companies worldwide. The groups, called GandCrab and REvil, caused over 35 million euros in damage through cyberattacks.
German federal police (BKA) publicly named Daniil Maksimovich Shchukin, known online as "UNKN" or "UNKNOWN," as the alleged head of two notorious ransomware operations. The 31-year-old Russian ran the GandCrab and REvil groups that terrorized organizations worldwide.
Shchukin and another Russian, 43-year-old Anatoly Sergeevitsch Kravchuk, extorted nearly 2 million euros across two dozen cyberattacks. Their attacks caused more than 35 million euros in total economic damage to victims.
Ransomware works by breaking into computer systems, locking all the files, then demanding payment to unlock them. Shchukin's groups pioneered "double extortion" - stealing data first, then threatening to publish it if victims didn't pay.
Shchukin advertised his ransomware services on underground cybercrime forums as early as June 2019. German authorities say his groups carried out at least 130 attacks on German organizations alone.
The public identification, called "doxing," puts international pressure on these cybercriminals even when they operate from countries that don't cooperate with Western law enforcement.
These ransomware groups locked up computer systems at hospitals, schools, and businesses, demanding money to unlock them. Identifying the leaders helps police track down cybercriminals who threaten everyday services people depend on.
Watch for potential arrests if Shchukin travels outside Russia, and continued international efforts to disrupt ransomware operations.
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