Six Russian Military Officers Charged In Connection With Malware Attack On Heritage Valley Health System
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
BEAVER (KDKA) - A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted six Russian computer hackers for their involvement in a worldwide deployment of malware and other computer hacking efforts that targeted the Heritage Valley Health System.
In June 2017, the malware attacks infected computer systems, using malware known as "NotPetya," within the Heritage Valley Health System.
"For more than two years we have worked tirelessly to expose these Russian GRU Officers who engaged in a global campaign of hacking, disruption, and destabilization, representing the most destructive and costly cyber-attacks in history," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania. "The crimes committed by Russian government officials were against real victims who suffered real harm. We have an obligation to hold accountable those who commit crimes – no matter where they reside and no matter for whom they work – in order to seek justice on behalf of these victims."
The six Russian officers, Yuriy Sergeyevich Andrienko, Sergey Vladimirovich Detistov, Pavel Valeryevich Frolov, Anatoliy Sergeyevich Kovalev, Artem Valeryevich Ochichenko, and Petr Nikolayevich Pliskin, are all charged with conspiracy to conduct computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, damaging protected computers, and aggravated identity theft.
Along with the damage to the Heritage Valley Health System, they also caused damage and disruption in France, Georgia, the Netherlands, Korea, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
"The exceptional talent and dedication of our teams in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City who spent years tracking these members of the GRU is unmatched," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Christman. "These criminals underestimated the power of shared intelligence, resources, and expertise through law enforcement, private sector, and international partnerships."
Their efforts also attempted to undermine countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, and France. It also was an attempted cyber-attack on the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics where Russian athletes were banned from participating under the country's flag due to a government-sponsored doping scandal.
If convicted of these charges, the six defendants could face nearly 100 years in prison.
