Ukrainian cyber police expose hackers who sold military info to Russia
KYIV. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Cyber police officers in the Ivano-Frankivsk region and Lviv regional security operatives have exposed a criminal ring which sold military intelligence to dozens of clients including in Russia.
"According to preliminary information, the criminals would buy databases on the DarkNet and sell them on to interested parties. To that end, they set up a website registered abroad. Cyber police are now trying to establish how the restricted access information was leaked ... from government registers," the police said in a statement on their website.
The stolen information concerned Ukraine's imports and exports, including the purchase and movement of military hardware. The hackers had about fifty clients, including some based in Russia. The price of services depended on the amount of data being sold illegally.
Searches of the hackers' homes and offices led to the seizure of equipment containing databases with restricted access information. Officers also seized bank cards that were used to cash the criminal proceeds.
A criminal inquiry has been launched on the charges of "unauthorized interference with the operation of computers, automated systems, computer networks, or electronic communications networks" and "unauthorized sale or distribution of restricted access information."