US Treasury OFAC Sanctions Russian Firms Associated With Cybercrimes

The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Russian firm Aeza Group and three affiliated entities for their involvement in cybercriminal activities, including ransomware attacks, infostealers, and darknet market operations. The targeted entities provided bulletproof hosting services, enabling cybercriminals to exploit victims globally, including in the US.

Acting Under Secretary Bradley T. Smith emphasized the role of such services in facilitating disruptive ransomware attacks and black-market drug sales. The sanctioned affiliates include UK-based Aeza International Ltd and its Russian subsidiaries, Aeza Logistics LLC, and Cloud Solutions LLC. These entities allegedly harvested sensitive credentials from victims, selling them on darknet markets for profit.