Ukrainian cyberpolice helps expose international hacker group BlackSuit
30 July 2025 16:20
Ukrainian cyber police took part in the international operation Checkmate, which resulted in the neutralization of the BlackSuit hacker group, one of the largest cybercrime cells that was engaged in ransom demands for stolen data.
This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to law enforcement, the group members created malware that encrypted data on victims’ computers. After that, they demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency for unblocking access and non-disclosure of the stolen information.
The main targets of the attack were commercial and non-governmental organizations in the United States, Europe, and Japan. The total value of the ransom demands exceeded $500 million, with the largest single demand of $60 million.
The investigation found that the attackers operated under different names: first as Quantum (since January 2022), then Royal, BlackSuit, and since 2025 – Chaos.
The operation was conducted jointly with law enforcement agencies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, other countries, and Europol.
In Ukraine, criminal proceedings have been initiated under Part 5 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code – unauthorized interference with information systems, which provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
According to the cyber police, in 2024, 57 organized groups that committed more than 1,000 cyber crimes were neutralized in Ukraine. In total, 2,500 such offenses were registered during the year.
