Dec 5, 2019

Justice Department announces charges, $5 million reward for Russian hackers

FBI wanted poster for Maksim Yakubets

The Department of Justice announced Thursday that Russian nationals Maksim Yakubets and Igor Turashev have been charged with causing tens of millions of dollars in damages stemming from their use of the "Bugat" malware. Neither has been arrested.

Why it matters: Bugat (also frequently called dridex) was one of the most successful theft operations of its type, stealing usernames and passwords from infected computers as they attempted to log on to bank websites. The State Department and FBI are offering $5 million for information that would lead to their arrest, the largest reward offer for a cyber criminal to date.

Driving the news: A Pittsburgh grand jury indicted the pair, also charging Yakubets for his role in an earlier string of thefts using the similarly successful Zeus malware, for which alleged co-conspirators Yuriy Konovaleko and Yevhen Kulibaba have already pleaded guilty.

Go deeper: Read the indictment

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Fadel Allassan

What they're saying: Former FBI officials respond to inspector general report

James Comey. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Politicon

Responding to a Justice Department inspector general report that found that political bias did not taint the 2016 Russia investigation, former FBI Director James Comey wrote in a Washington Post column Monday that "those who smeared the FBI are due for an accounting."

Why it matters: The report largely debunks conspiracy theories promoted by Trump and his allies that the Russia investigation was politically motivated and a product of the so-called "Deep State." However, the report also rebukes FBI officials in rather harsh terms for failing to meet agency standards, especially with respect to surveillance warrants.

Go deeperUpdated Dec 10, 2019

Joe Uchill

Disney+ accounts hacked, likely due to password reuse

Photo: SOPA Images/Getty Images

Hacked Disney+ accounts showed up for sale on dark web criminal markets almost immediately after Disney's new streaming service went live, reported ZDNet.

The big picture: The hijacking of account credentials no doubt came as a shock to the affected users, who suddenly found their passwords changed and their accounts inaccessible. But it's a commonplace occurrence in a world where many users reuse passwords from one service to another.

Go deeperNov 19, 2019

Zachary Basu

Justice Department inspector general concludes Russia probe was justified

Michael Horowitz. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In his long-awaited report into the origins of the 2016 Russia probe, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found "serious performance failures" by some FBI officials, but ultimately concluded that the investigation was not tainted by political bias.

Why it matters: President Trump and his allies have long believed that Horowitz would find bias and wrongdoing at the top ranks of the FBI, advancing allegations that the Russia investigation was a politically motivated hit job. While Horowitz does rebuke some low-level officials for carelessness and impropriety while filing surveillance applications, his report ultimately concludes that the basis for the FBI's investigation was legitimate.

Go deeperUpdated Dec 9, 2019