Russian Hackers Offer Stolen Spanish Government Data for Sale

The Spanish government appears to have fallen victim to a cyber attack orchestrated by the notorious Russian cybercriminal group, Evil Corp, which has been active since at least 2014. The group publicly claimed responsibility for the attack on the dark web, where it advertised access to the “Spanish Government database.” This database allegedly contains a significant amount of sensitive information, including full names, ID numbers, email addresses, and passwords.

Evil Corp, notorious for its cyber activities, put the pilfered information up for sale at the price of $750, with a note that the price was negotiable. They specified that payment should be made through secure methods to avoid tracking, with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or XMR being the preferred options.

The cybercriminal group, initially known for using Trojans like Dridex, transitioned to specializing in ransomware from 2017 onwards, making them one of the most dangerous hacking entities globally. Among their notable victims was GPS device manufacturer Garmin, whose operations were paralyzed for over three days in 2020 due to an Evil Corp cyberattack deploying the WastedLocker ransomware.

As a result of their extensive criminal history, the FBI has included Maksim Viktorovich Yakubets, believed to be the leader of Evil Corp, on its list of the world’s most wanted criminals. Maksim, also known by the alias “Aqua,” is a 36-year-old Russian national born in Ukraine. The FBI accuses him of involvement in malware that infected tens of thousands of computers, leading to financial losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars. In mid-November 2019, Maksim was indicted by the United States Department of Justice, and less than a month later, he was added to the FBI’s most wanted list, with the potential for a reward reaching $5 million for any information that leads to his apprehension.

While Maksim is considered the key figure, the FBI is also actively pursuing other members of Evil Corp, including Igor Olegovich Turashev, a 42-year-old Russian national facing similar charges to “Aqua,” albeit without a reward being offered in his case.