United States declares bounty on developer of malicious software known as LockBit, sets reward for capture at $10 million.

The United States Department of Justice has issued an arrest warrant for Dimitry Yuryevich Khoroshev (Дмитрий Юрьевич Хорошев), also known as the alias LockBitSupp, a 31-year-old from Russia. He is charged as the developer and operator of the successful ransomware known as LockBit, which has generated over $500 million in ransom payments. Khoroshev himself has pocketed more than $100 million from these illicit activities.

LockBit is a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) that operates through a network of affiliates who distribute the malware onto victims’ machines using various methods. Once the malware is deployed successfully, LockBit takes control and negotiates with the victim, splitting the ransom payment 80% to the malware distributors and retaining a 20% fee (cheaper than the App Store 🤔).

This legal action against Khoroshev is a continuation of efforts to dismantle the LockBit network earlier this year. The FBI played a key role in locating and apprehending Khoroshev, with a reward of $10 million offered for information leading to his capture. The charges against him include 26 counts, with a maximum penalty of 185 years in prison.

Source: Justice.gov

TLDR: The US Department of Justice has arrested Dimitry Yuryevich Khoroshev for his involvement in the development and operation of the ransomware LockBit, which has yielded over $500 million in ransom payments. Khoroshev faces multiple charges, including a maximum sentence of 185 years in prison.