Justice Department disrupts LockBit cybergang, indicts 2 Russian nationals for using ransomware variant

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The U.S. Justice Department joined the United Kingdom and other international law enforcement partners to disrupt the LockBit ransomware group, one of the most active ransomware groups in the world, the department announced Tuesday.

The DOJ, the FBI and the U.K.’s National Crime Agency’s (NCA) Cyber Division disrupted the ability of LockBit actors to attack networks, steal data and extort victims in the U.S. and around the world after they seized numerous public websites used by LockBit, which connected the organization’s vital infrastructure, and seized control of servers used by its administrators, it said in a joint statement.

According to the statement, the DOJ and its partners also indicted two Russian nationals for deploying LockBit against numerous victims: Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratyev, also known by his online alias "Bassterlord."

"For years, LockBit associates have deployed these kinds of attacks again and again across the United States and around the world," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "Today, U.S. and U.K. law enforcement are taking away the keys to their criminal operation. And we are going a step further — we have also obtained keys from the seized LockBit infrastructure to help victims decrypt their captured systems and regain access to their data. LockBit is not the first ransomware variant the Justice