CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom have sanctioned the Russia-based bulletproof hosting company Media Land and its network for supporting online criminal marketplaces and prolific ransomware actors like Lockbit, BlackSuit, and Play, who target businesses in the U.S. and around the world.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury said its Office of Foreign Assets Control is also designating three members of Media Land's leadership team and three of its sister companies in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Media Land LLC, headquartered in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, has provided BPH services to criminal marketplaces and ransomware actors, including prolific ransomware actors such as Lockbit, BlackSuit, and Play. Media Land infrastructure was also utilized in multiple distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks against U.S. victim companies and critical infrastructure.
In addition, OFAC and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office are designating Hypercore Ltd., a front company of Aeza Group, a BPH service provider designated by OFAC earlier this year. OFAC, in coordination with its UK partners, is also designating two additional individuals and two entities that have led, materially supported, or acted for Aeza Group.
The Aeza Group is responsible for providing web hosting services to ransomware groups, including those targeting the U.S. defense industrial base and technology companies. These parties helped Aeza attempt to evade sanctions.
'These so-called bulletproof hosting service providers like Media Land provide cybercriminals essential services to aid them in attacking businesses in the United States and in allied countries,' said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley.
Bulletproof hosting service providers sell cyber criminals access to specialized servers and other computer infrastructure specifically designed to evade detection and defy law enforcement efforts to conduct their illicit activities against businesses around the world.
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