Description

The U.S. Justice Department has brought charges against Alexander Lefterov, a Moldovan national, for operating a large-scale botnet that compromised thousands of computers across the United States. Lefterov, also known as Alipako, Uptime, and Alipatime, faces indictment for aggravated identity theft, computer fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as revealed in a nine-count indictment unsealed in December 2021. The indictment outlines how Lefterov and his associates utilized malware to pilfer credentials from infected devices, subsequently using these credentials to access victims' accounts on financial, payment processing, and retail platforms, ultimately siphoning money from their accounts. Additionally, the malware allowed for direct access to infected computers via a hidden virtual network computing (hVNC) server, enabling Lefterov and his co-conspirators to connect to victims' online accounts using web browsers undetected. Furthermore, Lefterov provided access to the botnet, including the hVNC server, to other cybercriminals, facilitating the breach and deployment of malware on victims' networks. The scheme also involved leasing the botnet to other co-conspirators for monetary gain, with Lefterov allegedly receiving a portion of the profits generated from the illicit activities. The charges against Lefterov carry penalties ranging from 2 to 10 years in prison, depending on the severity of the offenses. FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek emphasized the priority placed on protecting Americans in cyberspace, stating that the FBI and its partners will aggressively pursue individuals involved in malicious cyber activities, regardless of their location. The investigation underscores the ongoing efforts to identify and combat cyber threats targeting individuals and organizations in the United States, emphasizing the commitment to holding cybercriminals accountable for their actions.