Ransomware attacks are not just one man’s game. Several individuals work on a single attack to ensure the success of each stage i.e. from the delivery of a cryptovirological code to the collection of ransom. Recently, a network engineer of Microsoft, Raymond Uadiale, has been charged to facilitate the ransom payments for the operators of Reveton ransomware.
The judge hearing the case was caught by surprise when he came to know that the charged individual is an employee of tech giant Microsoft. The company maintains that Uadiale has been charged for money laundering for the time period when he was not at the company. Nevertheless, this case has once again highlighted the importance of background checks for organizations before hiring any individual on a crucial position.
What’s the Charge?
Raymond Uadiale has been federally charged for laundering money collected from the victims of Reveton ransomware to the man in the UK. Reveton was a Trojan-based ransomware that locked down the files, froze the device and then asked for a ‘fine’ through a fake FBI note for violating federal laws. In actual, it was cybercriminals asking money to remove ransomware.
The victims were asked to pay the ransom through MoneyPak’s Green Dot services. Uadiale’s job was to transfer all the accumulated extortion money to the mastermind of the attack in the UK through a shady virtual currency called Liberty Reserve. The currency was taken down by the Federal authorities in 2013 because it was solely used for money laundering.
“Federal prosecutors have charged Uadiale for laundering approximately $100,000 of ransom payments collected to remove ransomware from the devices of affected users. He himself took 30 percent of all the ransom payments. “
It is also important to note that the mastermind know by the nickname K!NG and Uadiale never met in real life. They were introduced to each other by a mutual acquaintance on the web. It shows that for cybercriminals it is not even necessary to meet in person. Moreover, they can function from different physical locations without any impediment. This inherent flexibility of cyber crimes make them more dangerous and difficult to trace.
