2 Iranian hackers charged in US ransomware scheme

Two Iranian computer hackers were charged Wednesday in connection with a multimillion-dollar cybercrime and extortion scheme that targeted U.S. government agencies and businesses, the Justice Department said. Faramarz Shahi Savandi, 34, and Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri, 27, are accused of creating ransomware known as SamSam that encrypted data on the computers of more than 200 victims, including the cities of Atlanta, Georgia, and Newark, New Jersey. Starting in January 2016, the hackers were able to exploit cyber weaknesses, gain access to the victims' computers and installed the ransomware remotely, prosecutors said. They would then allegedly encrypt the files on the computers and demanded that the victims pay a ransom in bitcoin in order to have their data unlocked. The hackers _ who are not believed to be connected to the Iranian government _ were able to make about $6 million and caused the victims of the scheme to lose more than $30 million, prosecutors said. "After gaining access to computers, they remotely installed their ransomware. The ransomware encripted the computer data, crippling the ability of the victims to operate their businesses and provide critical services to their customers," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said.