Ransomware, Malware, Threat Management

US: Cardiologist behind Thanos, Jigsaw ransomware

The U.S. Department of Justice has unveiled charges against French-Venezuelan cardiologist Moises Luis Zagala Gonzalez, who has been accused of developing and selling the Thanos and Jigsaw v.2 ransomware tools, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Aside from engaging in ransomware development and sale to various hackers, Zagala, who also went by the names of "Nebuchadnezzar," "Aesculapius," and "Nosophoros," also provided training on using the tools, noted FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael Driscoll. "As alleged, the multi-tasking doctor treated patients, created and named his cyber tool after death, profited from a global ransomware ecosystem in which he sold the tools for conducting ransomware attacks, trained the attackers about how to extort victims, and then boasted about successful attacks, including by malicious actors associated with the government of Iran," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. If convicted, Zagala could be imprisoned for five years for attempted computer intrusion and an additional five more for conspiracy to commit computer intrusions.

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