Iranian citizens have pleaded guilty in the US to their involvement in international ransomware and tor schemes involving Robin Hood Ransomware.
Sina Gholinejad (aka Sina Ghaaf), 37, and his co-conspirators are allegedly violated the computer networks of various organizations in the United States.
Gholinejad, arrested in North Carolina in early January, pleaded guilty to one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces the biggest penalty in a 30-year prison. He is scheduled to issue a sentence in August 2025.
“These cyberattacks have caused significant disruption and tens of thousands of losses, including in Greenville, North Carolina and Baltimore, Maryland,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
“Baltimore lost more than $19 million from the damage caused to its computer network and the destruction of several important urban services, including property taxes, water charges, parking quotes and other online services for revenue-generating features.”
According to court documents, Gholinejad and others were infiltrated and maintained unauthorized access to victims’ computer networks between January 2019 and March 2024, and then sensitive information was copied to a controlled virtual private server, deploying ransomware stocks.
Unauthorized revenue was washed through mixed cryptocurrency services and by moving assets between different types of cryptocurrency, a technique known as chain hopping. Threat actors also used virtual private networks and servers to hide their identities and activities.
Robin Hood is one of the cybercrime actors who latch to bring about your own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks, employing a legitimate but vulnerable Gigabyte Driver (GDRV.SYS) to escalate privileges and disarm security software.
“Cybercrime is not a victimless crime. As we see in this case, it is a direct attack on our community. Golinehad and his co-conspirators have adjusted a ransomware scheme that has disrupt livelihoods, businesses and local governments and has resulted in millions of millions of dollars in losses from victims that have not hindered the victims.
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