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Tag: belarus

9 articles

Chinese and Belarusian soldiers train together in urban setting.

China, Belarus militaries converge for joint training drills

China and Belarus are joining forces for a high-stakes military exercise, focusing on joint counter-terrorism operations in urban terrain. The drills, dubbed Swift Eagle 2026, kicked off on August 12, 2026, in central China's Hubei Province, bringing together airborne troops from both nations.

Analyst 207
Federal courthouse interior with judge's bench, chairs, and US Department of Justice seal in daylight.

Ransom Cartel creator gets 16 years for cybercrime scheme

A 40-year-old Belarusian cybercriminal has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for masterminding a massive ransomware scheme that targeted at least 18 companies and attempted to extort a staggering $5.2 million. The defendant, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and identity theft charges, was a longtime fixture on Russian-speaking cybercrime forums before his arrest and extradition.

Analyst 207
Federal courthouse interior with judge's bench, US flag, and law enforcement hint, conveying justice and authority.

Ransomware Kingpin Silnikau Gets 16 Years in Prison

In a major win for cybersecurity, Maksim Silnikau, the mastermind behind the notorious Ransom Cartel ransomware operation, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in wreaking havoc on victims worldwide. The Belarusian national was brought to justice through a collaborative effort between US and Polish authorities.

Analyst 207
Maksim Silnikau sits in defendant's chair in a federal courthouse with a judge's bench and Department of Justice seal in…

Ransom Cartel Creator Sentenced to 16 Years for Global Cyberattacks

Meet Maksim Silnikau, the mastermind behind the notorious Ransom Cartel, who's now facing 16 years behind bars for masterminding a global cyberattack spree that targeted at least 18 companies and raked in millions for him. The US Department of Justice brought him to justice, sentencing him for conspiracy, wire fraud, and identity theft.

Analyst 207
Server room with rows of out-of-focus servers, symbolizing disrupted VPN service.

Treasury Disrupts Ransomware Networks with Sanctions on VPN Service

The US Treasury Department has cracked down on a notorious VPN service, 1VPNS, and its alleged administrators, sanctioning them for enabling ransomware groups to launch devastating attacks on US companies and institutions. This move disrupts the cybercriminal ecosystem, cutting off a key tool used to hide attack origins, deploy malware, and manage stolen data.

Analyst 207
Law enforcement officers oversee rows of partially disassembled servers in a brightly-lit data center.

Netherlands Disrupts Russian Cyber Operations with Server Seizure

Dutch authorities have struck a major blow against Russian cyber operations, seizing 800 servers and making several arrests in a crackdown on a web hosting ecosystem accused of enabling cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and other malicious activities. This coordinated law-enforcement action aims to disrupt the cyber threat landscape and protect democracy and security.

Analyst 207
Government office workstation with papers and supplies, email inbox blurred on screen.

Ghostwriter Exploits Ukraine Government with Prometheus Phishing Malware

Malicious actors known as Ghostwriter have launched a cunning phishing campaign targeting Ukraine's government, using emails that appear to come from trusted sources and contain links to a seemingly harmless learning platform, Prometheus. These emails contain a hidden threat that can download malware onto victims' devices.

Analyst 207
Government building in Ukraine with a sense of unease, document on desk.

Ghostwriter Launches Geofenced PDF Phishing Against Ukraine Government

Meet FrostyNeighbor, a Belarus-aligned threat actor that's been wreaking havoc since 2016 with sophisticated cyber espionage and influence operations targeting Ukraine and beyond. This adaptive group has earned a reputation for evolving its tactics, using diverse lures and delivery mechanisms to stay one step ahead.

Analyst 207
Cluttered server room with laptops, smartphones, and tangled cables, hint of a global map in the background.

Researchers Expose ProxySmart Software Behind Global SIM Farms

Meet ProxySmart, a sneaky software powering "SIM Farm as a Service" operations worldwide, with a massive footprint of 94 phone farms across 17 countries and 19 US states. Its creators, a Belarus-based vendor, have made it easy for operators to run mobile proxy infrastructure at commercial scale.

Analyst 207