Redazione RHC : 12 September 2025 08:29
The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted Ukrainian Volodymyr Tymoshchuk on seven counts of computer hacking and extortion. He is considered one of the most dangerous hackers of recent years.
The investigation alleges that Tymoshchuk and his accomplices distributed the LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim viruses. These programs encrypted victims’ data, and the attackers demanded ransom, threatening to publish confidential information.
“Tymoshchuk is a serial ransomware attacker who has targeted major U.S. companies, healthcare institutions, and major foreign industrial enterprises,” said Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
According to prosecutors,the group attacked more than 250 companies in the United States and hundreds of organizations worldwide from December 2018 to October 2021. The attackers used the tools Cobalt Strike and Metasploit and also engaged intermediaries who provided stolen credentials.
On May 7, 2024, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Tymoshchuk in the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, Brooklyn, New York, after he was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and related activities; multiple counts of intentional damage to a protected computer; unauthorized access to a protected computer; and transmitting a threat to disclose confidential information.
According to the indictment, the victims were exclusively large companies with revenues exceeding $100 million. In some cases, the settlements exceeded $1 million. One of the most notorious attacks was the cyberattack on Norsk Hydro in 2019: The virus shut down tens of thousands of computers at 170 company locations in 40 countries, causing $81 million in damage.
The FBI estimates that the total damage caused by the activities of Tymoshchuk and his group amounts to approximately $18 billion. The United States is offering an $11 million reward for assistance in his capture.
The hacker is also wanted in France, where he is on the most wanted list. In 2024, Spanish police arrested his accomplice, Artem Strizhak, who was later extradited to the United States.
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