Russian-speaking hackers from the CIS countries have become an "omnipresent force" in international cybercrime related to digital assets. This is stated in the TRM Labs report.
According to the study, Russian-speaking attackers are responsible for at least 69% of ransomware revenues totaling more than $500 million in 2023.
The share of Russian-speaking hackers. Data: TRM Labs.The two largest operators of malicious services — Lockbit and ALPHV/Black Cat (both Russian—speaking) - earned about $320 million from the attacks.
In addition, Russian-language darknet marketplaces (DNM) provide about 95% of drug sales traffic worldwide.
Analysts called Kraken Market, which is managed by operators from the CIS, the largest "shadow" platform. According to analysts for 2023, the three largest Russian-speaking DNMs processed a transaction totaling $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency.
For comparison, the entire Western darknet ecosystem processed less than $100 million over the same period.
The volume of processed transactions in Russian-speaking and Western DNMs. Data: TRM Labs.Garantex, an OFAC-listed cryptocurrency exchange registered in Estonia, processed 82% of the volume of cryptocurrencies associated with sub-sanctioning organizations around the world in 2023.
According to TRM Labs, a significant proportion of these funds were associated with Chinese manufacturers of military equipment and components. Since 2021, the exchange has processed transactions worth about $85 million, which are affiliated with the wallets of the PRC and the Russian Federation.
https://forklog.com/news/bloomberg-uznalo-o-rassledovanii-ssha-i-velikobritanii-v-otnoshenii-garantex"Some Russian—speaking attackers maintain ties with the Kremlin and actively use cryptocurrency to purchase foreign equipment for Russian military needs," the analysts noted.
Earlier, Elliptic experts discovered a fraudulent online market with a turnover of $11 billion in cryptocurrencies. The researchers linked the Huione Guarantee online marketplace from Southeast Asia with the ruling Hong family in Cambodia.
Recall that in the period from April to June 2024, as a result of hacker attacks and fraud, the crypto industry lost ~ $572.7 million during 72 incidents, according to the Immunefi report.