Homes of suspected hackers who targeted hospital systems raided by police

In 2017, the UK's National Health Service fell victim to an attack carried out by a ransomware group known as Indrik Spider, Double Spider, and Grief.

Authorities in Germany and Ukraine conducted raids on the homes of individuals associated with a well-known cybercrime group that has stolen millions of dollars from large organizations over several years. Europol and the FBI assisted with the investigation, which targeted members of the hacking group known as Indrik Spider, Double Spider, and Grief.

This group gained notoriety for its 2020 ransomware attack on Düsseldorf University Hospital using its DoppelPaymer ransomware, which German police held responsible for the death of a patient who had to be transferred to another hospital due to system-wide corruption. The group also carried out attacks on the UK's National Health Service in 2017 and the National Rifle Association in 2021. The Associated Press reported this news earlier.

The cybercriminals distribute ransomware through malicious code embedded in emails that contain documents, allowing them access to the target's systems once downloaded. They then threaten to leak sensitive company data unless they receive payment. Europol estimates that between May 2019 and March 2021, victims of this cybercrime group's attacks in the US paid at least €40 million (~$42.7 million USD), while German authorities counted 601 victims in total.

On February 28th, German and Ukrainian police raided the homes of two suspected members simultaneously, but no arrests were made, and the suspects were released after questioning. Meanwhile, international authorities are still searching for three Russian individuals with ties to the group. German and Ukrainian authorities are analyzing the evidence seized during the raids to locate other group members and determine their roles.

Ingo Wünsch, the director of Germany's State Criminal Police Office, states that "perpetrators can be sure that the fight against this crime does not stop at the borders, but takes place across borders" and calls for companies, institutions, and authorities to protect their digital world.