US, UK sanction 11 members of Russia-based Trickbot cybercrime gang

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US and the UK announced sanctions Thursday against 11 members of the Russia-based Trickbot cybercrime gang.

"Today’s targets include key actors involved in management and procurement for the Trickbot group, which has ties to Russian intelligence services and has targeted the U.S. Government and U.S. companies, including hospitals," the Treasury Department said in a statement.

Trickbot allegedly targeted critical infrastructure and health care providers in the US during the coronavirus pandemic.

Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson said Washington is determined to combat ransomware and respond to disruptions of its critical infrastructure.

"In close coordination with our British partners, the United States will continue to leverage our collective tools and authorities to target these malicious cyber activities," he said.

The targets designated include administrators, managers, developers and coders who have materially assisted Trickbot in its operations.

The action is a continuation of ongoing collaborative endeavors between the US and the UK to counter Russian cybercrime and ransomware.

It follows an initial joint US-UK cyber designation of several Trickbot group members in February, the first designation under the UK's newly established cyber authority.