Texans to be Among the Most Affected Nations in Global Cybercrime Operation, Warns FBI

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Texans are likely to be among nations that will be adversely affected by an international cybercrime operation. 

The FBI has charged a Ukrainian national for participating in the global cybercrime ring known as Raccoon Infostealer. Mark Sokolovsky, as per the FBI, is accused of installing malware on a million computers between 2018 and 2022, including those in Texas.

Sokolovsky has been detained in the Netherlands after an extradition request from the US. He is charged with one count of conspiring to commit a wire scam, one count of conspiring to engage in money laundering, one count of conspiring to commit severe identity fraud, and one count of a plot to commit a computer scam.

“This case highlights the FBI’s unwavering commitment to working closely with our law enforcement and private sector partners around the world to hold cybercriminals accountable for their actions and protect the American people from cybercrime,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. 

“This case also serves as a reminder to public and private sector organizations of the importance to report internet crime and cyber threats to law enforcement as soon as possible. Working together is the only way we’re going to stay ahead of rapidly changing cyber threats.”

According to court records, Raccoon Infostealer was employed as malware-as-a-service, or “MaaS,” to compromise the system with malware and utilize email phishing to collect personal information. Log-in details, financial data, and other personal data of victims were either used to perform financial fraud or resold on sites for cybercrime.

Although the FBI is unsure of the precise number of impacted machines, at least fifty million different forms of information (including credit card numbers, bank account information, and addresses for cryptocurrencies) were recovered. Several of these were found in San Antonio, Texas.

“This case highlights the importance of the international cooperation that the Department of Justice and our partners use to dismantle modern cyber threats,” stated Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “As reflected in the number of potential victims and global breadth of this attack, cyber threats do not respect borders, which makes international cooperation all the more critical. I urge anyone who thinks they could be a victim to follow the FBI’s guidance on how to report your potential exposure.”

To check if one has been affected by the Raccoon Infostealer, the FBI advises entering a personal email address into their data source on raccoon.ic3.gov. The FBI would notify the user via email if the email is received. Victims are instructed to use the FBI’s ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint portal to submit a complaint and detail any economic loss they may have encountered.

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