STATE DEPT OFFERS $10 MILLION FOR RUSSIAN HACKERS

The State Department announced on Thursday that it was offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identity and location of five individuals believed to be tied to the Conti ransomware group.

The agency accused the hackers — known by their online aliases as “Target,” “Reshaev,” “Professor,” “Tramp” and “Dandis” — of participating in malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure.

“Stripping anonymity from key players, offering bounties, seizing illicit funds, and making public declarations of intent are important actions that may help to increase the real and perceived risks of engaging in ransomware operations,” said Jeremy Kennelly, a senior manager of financial crime analysis at cybersecurity firm Mandiant, in a statement.

Conti, a Russia-based hacker group, have supported the Russian government following its invasion of Ukraine and have threatened critical infrastructure of countries it perceives as a threat to Russia, the State Department said.