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US, UK, Australia target Zservers over Lockbit attacks

By AAP Newswire

Feb 12, 2025

Keyboard — Officials accuse the Zservers service provider of helping facilitate ransomware attacks globally. -AP

The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom say they are targeting the Russia-based Zservers service provider for its role in supporting the Lockbit ransomware attacks, the US Department of Treasury says, citing national security concerns.

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US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control also designated two Russian citizens who they said were key administrators for Zservers, a bulletproof hosting services provider or BPH, it added.

"Ransomware actors and other cybercriminals rely on third-party network service providers like Zservers to enable their attacks on US and international critical infrastructure," Bradley Smith, acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement.

UK authorities said the three countries will impose asset freezes on Zservers and its UK front company XHOST Internet Solutions LP, and asset freezes and travel bans on six individuals belonging to the Zservers cyber group.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has built a corrupt mafia state â€¯driven by greed and ruthlessness," UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement.

"It is no surprise that the most unscrupulous extortionists and cyber-criminals run rampant from within his borders."

The action follows joint US, UK and Australia cyber sanctions last year targeting the Evil Corp ransomware group, US Treasury said.