Australia bans alleged Russian leader of ransomware group LockBit [Video]

A Russian citizen accused of heading global ransomware group LockBit has been hit with financial sanctions and banned from entering Australia.

The Federal Government said today Dmitry Khoroshev held a “senior leadership role” in the ransomware group.

LockBit works to destabilise and disrupt sectors of the economy for financial gain.

Its ransomware has been used against Australian, British and American businesses. LockBit was behind 18 per cent of total reported Australian ransomware incidents in the period 2022 to 2023 and targeted 119 people in the country, the government said.

During an international law enforcement operation in February, LockBit was initially disrupted when officers seized control of the group’s server and used it to spread details about the group and the people running it.

Operation Cronos, which involved the Australian Federal Police and the cyber espionage …