US arrests Chinese national behind massive global botnet cyberattacks
The United States has arrested YunHe Wang, a 35-year-old Chinese national, for allegedly operating a botnet, known as 911 S5, that infected over 19 million IP addresses worldwide and stole $5.9 billion. Botnets are networks of compromised computers controlled by a central entity to launch cyberattacks. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) reports that Wang distributed malware through VPN programs, subsequently selling access to the compromised IP addresses. His customers reportedly used these proxied addresses to commit various crimes.
Botnet 911 S5 implicated in various cybercrimes
As per US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the botnet 911 S5 "facilitated cyber-attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations." The operation infected computers in nearly 200 countries and was dismantled with international assistance, per Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray.
Scheme allegedly enabled billions in theft
Matthew S. Axelrod, Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security assistant secretary for export enforcement, stated that the botnet 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." The profits were allegedly used to purchase luxury items and real estate. Per DoJ, assets worth around $60 million have been seized or identified for seizure. The scheme operated between 2014 and July 2022.
Insurance-related frauds linked to compromised IP addresses
The compromised computers were also reportedly used for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic relief programs. An estimated 560,000 fraudulent insurance claims were traced back to these compromised IP addresses. This information was revealed as part of the ongoing investigation into Wang's alleged activities.
Sanctions and potential penalties
On Tuesday, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against Wang and two other Chinese nationals for their alleged roles in the botnet operation. These sanctions prohibit transactions with them or their designated organizations. If convicted on all counts, which include charges of substantive computer fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, Wang could face up to 65 years in prison, according to the DoJ.
