The Office of the Prosecutor General, in close cooperation with the competent authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany, has uncovered two citizens of Ukraine who were part of the international cybercriminal group Black Basta. The group is responsible for large-scale cyberattacks on government authorities, public institutions, and leading companies in Germany and other countries, causing multimillion-dollar damages.

Black Basta is one of the most active ransomware groups in recent years. The main targets of the hackers have been companies and institutions from economically developed Western countries. Using the namesake malicious software, the perpetrators infected computer networks, stole confidential data, encrypted information systems, and blackmailed victims, demanding ransom in cryptocurrency for restoring access.

As part of the documented activities of the group, a series of cyberattacks have been recorded, resulting in over 100 companies in Germany and about 700 companies worldwide experiencing prolonged disruptions to their operations. Among the victims are hospitals, public institutions, and government authorities. According to available data, the damages in Germany alone exceed 20 million euros.

As part of international cooperation, law enforcement agencies from Ukraine and Germany conducted searches at the residences and activities of two citizens of Ukraine who were responsible for hacking hash files. The access data obtained in this way was used for further dissemination of malicious software in the networks of the victims.

During the searches, mobile phones, computer equipment, and handwritten notes were seized. The analysis of the seized materials is ongoing.

The operation was conducted by prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General in conjunction with the Cyber Police Department, the Main Department of Counterintelligence Protection of State Interests in the Information Sphere of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region, and the Main Investigative Department of the National Police of Ukraine, in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The mentioned investigative actions were carried out as part of international cooperation between law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Earlier, at the request of foreign partners, the Office of the Prosecutor General had already conducted searches in the territory of Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region and other investigative actions regarding certain participants of this group on the territory of Ukraine.