Lolek’s ‘Bulletproof’ Server Seized for Assisting Ransomware Attacks.
U.S. Authorities Seize “Bulletproof” Hosting Service Provider for Facilitating Ransomware Attacks
On August 11, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizure of LolekHosted, a “bulletproof” hosting service provider accused of enabling ransomware attacks on 400 networks. The District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued the seizure warrant, and now the server prominently displays a banner indicating that it has been seized by federal authorities.
Charges Against Artur Karol Grabowski
Artur Karol Grabowski, a 36-year-old Polish national, has been charged for his involvement in managing LolekHosted. The web hosting company allegedly facilitated various malicious activities, including ransomware attacks, brute-force attacks, and phishing. Grabowski faces charges of computer fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and international money laundering related to the provision of web hosting services.
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The indictment against Grabowski reveals that he registered the domain ‘LolekHosted.net’ in 2014 and advertised the services as “bulletproof,” offering “100% privacy hosting” and allowing clients to host everything except child pornography.
Currently, Grabowski remains at large. The indictment also notifies him that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $21.5 million, representing the proceeds from the criminal conduct.
Ransomware Attacks and NetWalker Variant
LolekHosted facilitated various ransomware attacks, including the notorious NetWalker ransomware. These attacks targeted 400 company networks, including municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement and emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities. The DOJ reports that these NetWalker ransomware attacks resulted in the payment of over 5,000 bitcoins, equivalent to approximately $146 million.
The indictment states, “LolekHosted clients used its services to execute approximately 50 NetWalker ransomware attacks on victims located all over the world, including in the Middle District of Florida.” Clients utilized LolekHosted servers as intermediaries to gain unauthorized access to victim networks, store hacking tools, and store stolen data.
Europol’s Involvement and Arrests
Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, announced the arrest of five LolekHosted administrators in Poland and the seizure of all its servers. Europol supported the complex investigation, which also involved the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to Europol, the investigation revealed how LolekHosted facilitated the distribution of information-stealing malware, launched DDoS attacks, operated fictitious online shops, managed botnet servers, and distributed spam messages worldwide.
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