Three Ukrainian cybercriminals have been indicted by the US authorities for criminal hacking, the US Justice Dpt. announced yesterday. Dmytro Fedorov, 44, Fedir Hladyr, 33, and Andrii Kolpakov, 30, are accused of being members of the notorious cybercrime group FIN7, also known as the Carbanak Group and the Navigator Group.
“Since at least 2015, FIN7 members engaged in a highly sophisticated malware campaign targeting more than 100 U.S. companies, predominantly in the restaurant, gaming, and hospitality industries. As set forth in indictments, FIN7 hacked into thousands of computer systems and stole millions of customer credit and debit card numbers, which the group used or sold for profit,” the US authorities stated.
“In the United States alone, FIN7 successfully breached the computer networks of companies in 47 states and the District of Columbia, stealing more than 15 million customer card records from over 6,500 individual point-of-sale terminals at more than 3,600 separate business locations.”
Among the targeted companies are such familiar brands as Arby’s, Chili’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Jason’s Deli and Red Robin. The gang created a fake company, Combi Security, purportedly headquartered in Russia and Israel, to approach its targets with a guise of legitimacy: the company’s website indicated that it provided security services including penetration testing.
“The naming of these FIN7 leaders marks a major step towards dismantling this sophisticated criminal enterprise,” said Special Agent in Charge Tabb. “As the lead federal agency for cyber-attack investigations, the FBI will continue to work with its law enforcement partners worldwide to pursue the members of this devious group, and hold them accountable for stealing from American businesses and individuals.”
FIN7’s intrusions also occurred abroad in the UK, Australia and France.
Arrested in January 2018 by the German police, Hladyr is currently detained in Seattle. His trial is currently scheduled for Oct. 22. Fedorov was arrested that same month in Poland and remains detained there, pending his extradition to the United States.
Kolpakov was arrested in June 2018 in Lepe, Spain. He remains detained in Spain pending the United States’ request for extradition.
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Source: US Dpt. of Justice
