US Arrests Man Behind Massive Botnet Enabling Cyberattacks and Fraud

International Botnet ⁤Scheme ‌Unveiled

Overview of the⁣ Operation

A complex international botnet scheme,⁤ described ​as something “ripped from a screenplay” by a Commerce Department official, has been exposed. YunHe Wang,​ a 35-year-old Chinese⁢ national, is accused of orchestrating this operation,‌ which infected over 19 million IP addresses globally.

Malware Distribution and Botnet Management

Wang ⁤allegedly distributed malware through VPN programs like​ MaskVPN and DewVPN. Once the malware was deployed, ⁢he managed the botnet and sold access to the compromised IP addresses. According to the Department of Justice, his clients used these proxied addresses to commit various crimes.

Crimes Facilitated by the Botnet

The botnet,‌ known as ⁢911 S5, enabled a range of‍ criminal activities.⁤ Attorney General ​Merrick Garland stated that it facilitated “cyber-attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export ⁣violations.” The operation infected computers in nearly 200 countries, as noted by FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The scheme sold access “to millions of malware-infected ⁣computers worldwide, enabling ⁢criminals over ⁣the world to steal billions of dollars, transmit bomb threats, and ⁣exchange child exploitation materials,” said‌ Matthew S. Axelrod, Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security assistant secretary for export enforcement.

Financial Gains and Luxury Purchases

The scheme allegedly generated $100 ‍million ‍in profits, which were used to purchase luxury cars, watches, and real estate. The operation ran from 2014 until⁢ July 2022.

Additional ⁢Crimes and​ Fraudulent Activities

Compromised computers were also used to commit other crimes, including ⁢defrauding pandemic relief programs. The DOJ claims that ⁤around 560,000 ‍fraudulent insurance claims originated from‌ these⁢ compromised IP addresses, resulting in over $5.9 billion in fraudulent losses.

Sanctions and Legal Consequences

The Treasury Department announced sanctions against Wang and two other Chinese nationals for their roles‌ in the botnet. These sanctions prohibit any transactions⁤ with them or their designated organizations.

Wang faces up to ‍65 years in prison if convicted ⁣on all counts, which include charges of substantive computer fraud and conspiracy to‌ commit‍ money⁤ laundering, according to the DOJ.