Ethical Hacking News
Global cybersecurity efforts have gained momentum with the seizure of the Garantex domain by US authorities, as well as the exploitation of VMware security flaws and other high-profile threats. The move serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in disrupting illicit financial activities.
The United States Secret Service has seized the domain associated with cryptocurrency exchange Garantex. Garantex was previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April 2022 for alleged involvement in illicit transactions. A Russian national, Ekaterina Zhdanova, was also sanctioned for her role in laundering ransomware proceeds through Garantex. The seizure of the Garantex domain is a significant blow to Russian illicit activities and highlights the importance of global cooperation in disrupting financial crimes.
In a recent operation carried out by a coalition of international law enforcement agencies, the domain associated with the cryptocurrency exchange Garantex has been seized by the United States Secret Service. The move comes nearly three years after the service was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April 2022, and is part of an ongoing effort to disrupt illicit financial activities facilitated by Russian entities.
Founded in 2019, Garantex was previously subject to U.S. sanctions for its alleged involvement in facilitating transactions from darknet markets and illicit actors such as Hydra and Conti. In late 2023, sanctions were also imposed against a Russian national named Ekaterina Zhdanova for her role in laundering the proceeds of ransomware groups like Ryuk via Garantex.
The development comes weeks after the European Union announced similar sanctions against the crypto exchange late last month for its close association with already sanctioned Russian banks such as Sberbank, T-Bank, and Alfa-Bank, prompting Tether to block its crypto wallets. The seizure of the Garantex domain is a significant blow to the illicit activities of the Russian national and her associates.
In addition to this high-profile operation, recent exploits have highlighted the ongoing vulnerability of various systems to cyber attacks. VMware Security Flaws Exploited in the Wild—Broadcom Releases Urgent Patches, highlighting the importance of timely patches for preventing exploitation of such vulnerabilities. Furthermore, Amnesty Finds Cellebrite's Zero-Day Used to Unlock Serbian Activist's Android Phone, further emphasizing the dangers posed by zero-day exploits.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in cybersecurity is also becoming increasingly important, as highlighted by How New AI Agents Will Transform Credential Stuffing Attacks. In this regard, the use of AI-powered systems to detect and prevent credential stuffing attacks will be crucial in mitigating the risks posed by these types of attacks.
The recent seizure of the Garantex domain serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies around the world in disrupting illicit financial activities. It also highlights the need for greater vigilance among individuals and organizations in protecting themselves against cyber threats, particularly those related to cryptocurrency exchanges.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Global-Cybersecurity-Alert-Seizure-of-Russian-Crypto-Exchange-Garantex-Domain-Alongside-Exploitation-of-VMware-Security-Flaws-and-Other-High-Profile-Threats-ehn.shtml
https://thehackernews.com/2025/03/us-secret-service-seizes-russian.html
Published: Fri Mar 7 07:03:32 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
