The EU sanctioned six people for their involvement in cyber attacks against critical infrastructure and essential services, like health and banking.
“With these new listings, the EU and its member states reaffirm their willingness to step up efforts to provide a stronger … response to persistent malicious cyber activities targeting the EU,” a statement from the European Council read.
There are currently 14 individuals and four entities that are sanctioned for cyber crimes against the EU, according to the statement.
Sanctions include an asset freeze and travel ban. Those listed are unable to receive any funds from any EU institutions.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) identified in a 2023 threat assessment that public administration, health and digital infrastructure are their most targeted sectors for cybercrime.
Who is being sanctioned?
The sanctioned people are at the helm of three major Russian hacker groups, according to the EU’s council decision.
“Russia has continued their pattern of irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace, which also formed an integral part of its illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” the EU Council statement continues.
The Council decision states the sanctioned individuals’ actions presented “an external threat to the Union or its members”.
Oleksandr Skilanko and Mykola Chernykh are accused of conducting various cyber attacks against the government of Ukraine and on EU member states through the “Armageddon” group.
Chernykh is also being charged in Ukraine for treason, due to his past as a former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Rusland Peretyatko and Andrey Korinets are two members of the “Callisto group”: Russian intelligence operations conducting cyber operations against EU states through phishing campaigns to steal sensitive data.
According to the EU decision, the Callisto group launched “multi-year phishing campaigns” to steal information and data from personal accounts. The group has also targeted individuals and the state in the “areas of defence and external relations”.
Mikhail Tsarev and Maksim Galochkin are both involved with the “Wizard Spider” group, which developed several malware programs that “infected computers worldwide,” the statement reads.
Their campaigns are responsible for “substantial economic damage” in the EU, the statement continued.
