Russian nationals convicted of major cybercrimes in the USA

A federal jury in Connecticut has found Oleg Koshkin, a Russian national guilty of conspiracy and aiding and abetting intentional damage to a protected computer. Koshkin was operating a ‘crypting’ service used to conceal ‘Kelihos’ malware’ from antivirus software, enabling hackers to systematically infect victim computers around the world with malicious software, including ransomware. His co-conspirator, Pavel Tsurkan, has pleaded guilty for his role in operating this service.

Kelihos malware and the concealing service that was an essential tool for some of the world’s most destructive cybercriminals, including ransomware attackers known to include at least 50,000 compromised computers around the world.

The sentencing in this case is set for September 2021, with Koshkin facing a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.