Bitcoin Ransomware: The U.S. Indicts Iranians Over $6 Million Cryptocurrency Cyber-crime…

The U.S. Justice Department recently announced the indictment of two Iranians involved in a high-profile Bitcoin ransomware attack.

Iranian Hackers Collect Bitcoin as Ransom

According to a report by The Washington Post, the Justice Department of the United States on Wednesday (November 28) announced the indictment of two Iranian nationals involved in cryptocurrency ransomware attacks, dating back to 2015.

Faramarz Shahi Savandi and Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri, Iranian residing in Iran, were the masterminds of the SamSam ransomware attack. The pair infected data in the U.S, United Kingdom, and Canada as far back as 2015.

Part of the hackers’ targets included places in the United States such as Newark, Atlanta, the port of San Diego, the Transportation Department in Colorado, a medical laboratory, and a hospital. According to the Justice Department, the defendants targeted vulnerable computers and instilled ransomware, preventing victims from gaining access.

Consequently, the…