British authorities have identified the alleged leader of the once largest cybercrime group Lockbit, which operated under the pseudonym Lockbitsupp. The man in question is Dmitry Khoroshev, as revealed by law enforcement officers. This information was obtained after international law enforcement agencies seized Lockbit infrastructure in February of this year. The authorities of Great Britain, the USA, and Australia have already imposed substantial sanctions on the group.
Graham Biggar, the Director-General of the National Crime Agency of Britain (NCA), highlighted the importance of the sanctions imposed, stating that they demonstrate that there are no safe havens for cybercriminals. He mentioned that a successful operation has significantly diminished the capabilities and reputation of Lockbit within the cybercrime community, thereby weakening the group.
Tom Tagendhat, the Minister of Security of Great Britain, echoed this sentiment by stating that the exposure of one of Lockbit’s leaders serves as a clear message to cybercriminals that they cannot evade justice and will be held accountable for their actions.
Information released by the NCA revealed that many of Lockbit’s partners did not receive payment for their services, despite hefty membership fees paid to join the group. Additionally, the group’s promises to victims to delete stolen data after receiving ransom payments were proven false, as verified by law enforcement officers who examined the group’s servers.
Shortly after the February seizure of the group’s infrastructure, LockBitsupp published a lengthy message directed at law enforcement officers and the general public. In the message, the Lockbit leader mocked the actions of the FBI and their partners, denying any collaboration with the investigation as claimed by British law enforcement officers. He also asserted that each attack on LockBit infrastructure would only strengthen the group.
Reports indicate that the alleged leader of Lockbit remains at large and is expected to elude law enforcement agencies for the foreseeable future.