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2h ago

U.S. Indicts Alleged Leader of Qakbot Malware Network

Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov faces charges for operating the Qakbot botnet, which enabled global ransomware attacks and caused hundreds of millions in damages.

A hand is seen on a laptop with binary code displayed on the screen in front of a Russian flag in this picture illustration created on August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Datto Inc. offers a variety of services, including ransomware protection and disaster-recovery service.
Image
This photo provided by the US District Court for the Central District of California shows Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov. The 48-year-old based in Moscow allegedly developed a piece of malicious software in 2008 that has been used to infect hundreds of thousands of computers in the US and globally.

Overview

  • The Justice Department unsealed an indictment against Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov, accusing him of leading the Qakbot malware network since 2008.
  • Qakbot infected over 700,000 computers globally and served as an entry point for ransomware gangs, including Conti, REvil, and Egregor.
  • Gallyamov allegedly received a share of ransom payments from attacks facilitated by Qakbot, with damages exceeding $58 million in just 18 months.
  • The FBI dismantled the Qakbot botnet in 2023, but Gallyamov continued cyberattacks, including spam bomb schemes, into early 2025.
  • Over $28 million in cryptocurrency linked to Gallyamov has been seized, with $24 million subject to a newly filed forfeiture complaint.