A 34-year-old Armenian man pleaded guilty to hacking U.S. companies and deploying the Ryuk ransomware. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
The defendant admitted to participating in a coordinated ransomware campaign that targeted multiple American businesses. Ryuk, one of the most destructive ransomware variants in circulation, encrypts victim systems and demands payment for decryption keys.
The case represents ongoing law enforcement efforts to dismantle ransomware operations that have cost organizations billions in damages. U.S. authorities have intensified prosecution of cybercriminals involved in high-profile attacks on critical infrastructure and private enterprises.
Ryuk has been linked to attacks on hospitals, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies since its emergence in 2018. The plea signals continued progress in identifying and prosecuting ransomware developers and operators operating from abroad.
Sentencing is pending. The conviction adds to a growing number of international cybercrime prosecutions as federal agencies coordinate with international partners to combat organized ransomware groups.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has confirmed a "major incident" involving a compromised system following claims by the Qilin ransomware group.
Claude, Codex, and Hermes generated 227 install commands referencing code with no identifiable owners, according to analysis of corporate documentation. The discovery raises security concerns about AI-generated dependencies.
Manchester Airports Group disclosed a breach affecting Manchester, Stansted, and East Midlands airports. Hackers accessed data from approximately 8.7 million customers.
A lawsuit alleges that Elon Musk's xAI trained its Grok language models using child sexual abuse material, including both real and AI-generated imagery.