October 5, 2024

4 alleged members of the FIN9 cybercrime gang have been charged in relation to a sequence of hacks that precipitated over US $71 million of losses for firms throughout the US.

The defendants, all Vietnamese nationals, are accused of launching a sequence of subtle phishing and supply-chain assaults to realize unauthorised entry to firm networks, to be able to steal delicate data.

Because the US Division of Justice describes, Ta Van Tai, aka “Quynh Hoa,” aka “Bich Thuy;” Nguyen Viet Quoc, aka “Tien Nguyen;” Nguyen Trang Xuyen; and Nguyen Van Truong, aka “Chung Nguyen,” are alleged to have hacked companies to steal personal data, worker advantages, and funds between at the least Might 2018 by way of to October 2021.

Based on courtroom paperwork, the indicted people accessed worker profit rewards applications maintained by companies and re-directed reward playing cards to accounts beneath their very own management.

The FIN9 group can also be accused of stealing reward card data saved on the pc networks of hacked firms, concealing their true identities utilizing stolen data to register accounts at cryptocurrency exchanges and internet server internet hosting companies.

“The FIN9 defendants had been prolific worldwide hackers who, for years, allegedly used phishing campaigns, provide chain assaults and different hacking strategies to steal hundreds of thousands from their victims,” stated US Lawyer Philip R. Sellinger. “They did all of this whereas hiding behind keyboards, VPNs, and pretend identities, and even then, the Division of Justice discovered them. My workplace stays dedicated to its pursuit of justice for victims, and cybercriminals in every single place ought to take discover.”

Tai, Xuyen, and Truong are stated to have bought stolen reward playing cards on a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency market in an try to hide the origin of the stolen cash.

All 4 defendants face fees of conspiracy to commit fraud, extortion, wire fraud, and intentional harm to a protected laptop, and will withstand 5 years in jail for fraud and extortion, as much as 20 years for wire fraud, and as much as 10 years for every depend of laptop harm.

As well as, Tai, Xuyen, and Truong additionally face cash laundering fees with a most 20-year sentence. Tai and Quoc are moreover charged with aggravated id theft and conspiracy to commit id fraud, carrying a compulsory two 12 months sentence and as much as 15 years respectively.

The deal with reward playing cards by the alleged hackers attracts comparability with one other cybercriminal gang, Storm-0539 (also referred to as Atlas Lion), which has been very energetic lately.  Final month, the FBI issued a warning to US retailers about how the Storm-0539 cybercrime group was concentrating on firm workers by way of phishing assaults in an try to entry techniques that might generate fraudulent reward playing cards.