Ethical Hacking News
US Imposes Sanctions on Russian Bulletproof Hosting Provider, Disrupting Ransomware Operations.
Aeza Group, a Russian bulletproof hosting provider, has been sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).The sanctions aim to disrupt cybercriminals' ability to operate and facilitate ransomware attacks, steal technology, and sell black-market drugs.The company's owners and technical director are Russian nationals who own 33% each of the company.Aeza International, a UK-registered affiliate, has also been designated as a BPH provider.The sanctions may prevent individuals from conducting business with other companies or organizations in the future.
The United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Aeza Group, a Russian bulletproof hosting provider. This marks the second time this year that a BPH provider has been hit with sanctions by the US government.
Aeza Group was one of several organizations accused of enabling ransomware and other cybercriminal activity. The company's services were allegedly used to facilitate disruptive ransomware attacks, steal US technology, and sell black-market drugs. The sanctions imposed on Aeza Group and its key players are intended to disrupt the ability of these cybercriminals to operate.
The designation of Aeza Group follows that of Zservers, another BPH provider relied upon by former ransomware top dog LockBit. Zservers was sanctioned in February, roughly a year after Operation Cronos took down the ransomware kingpin. The sanctions issued against Aeza Group and its key players mean anyone caught doing business with Aeza could face civil penalties.
The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated that "Cybercriminals continue to rely heavily on BPH service providers like Aeza Group to facilitate disruptive ransomware attacks, steal US technology, and sell black-market drugs." The OFAC also noted that the Treasury remains resolved to expose the critical nodes, infrastructure, and individuals that underpin this criminal ecosystem.
Aeza Group's owners and technical director – all Russian nationals – were designated by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These individuals own 33 percent each of the company. Arsenii Aleksandrovich Penzev, Yurii Meruzhanovich Bozoyan, and Igor Anatolyevich Knyazev are the CEO, general director, and interim boss of Aeza Group respectively.
The sanctions imposed on Aeza Group also include four individuals who hold leadership positions within the Aeza operation. These individuals were not included in the personal sanctions imposed by the US government.
Aeza International, a UK-registered affiliate of the company, was also designated as a BPH provider. The National Crime Agency (NCA) helped coordinate the front company's designation on the US Treasury's sanctions list.
The sole remaining company director associated with Aeza International is based in Kazakhstan and was not included in the personal sanctions imposed by the US government. However, when questioned about this individual, the NCA declined to comment further.
The designation of Aeza Group marks a significant move by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to disrupt the ability of cybercriminals to operate. The sanctions imposed on Aeza Group and its key players are intended to prevent these individuals from conducting business with other companies or organizations in the future.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-United-States-Imposes-Sanctions-on-Russian-Bulletproof-Hosting-Provider-Aeza-Group-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/07/02/aeza_group_us_sanctions/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/us-imposes-sanctions-on-second-russian-bulletproof-hosting-vehicle-this-year/ar-AA1HPDbY
https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/02/aeza_group_us_sanctions/
Published: Wed Jul 2 10:35:37 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
