Security News > 2021 > December > Bulletproof hosting founder imprisoned for helping cybercrime gangs
34-year-old Russian Aleksandr Grichishkin, the founder of a bulletproof hosting service, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for allowing cybercrime gangs to use the platform in attacks targeting US financial institutions between 2008 to 2015.
Grichishkin, who was also the organization's leader, provided multiple cybercrime operations with the infrastructure needed to distribute malware, host phishing kits, breach targets' networks, build botnets, and steal banking credentials.
According to the sentencing memorandum, malware hosted on the organization's bulletproof hosting platform-including Zeus, SpyEye, Citadel, and the Blackhole Exploit Kit-was used in attacks against U.S. organizations and caused millions of dollars in losses.
The bulletproof hosting organization was founded by Russian citizens Andrei Skvortsov and Aleksandr Grichishkin.
While Skorodumov and Stassi were the ones responsible for keeping systems running and helping cybercrime operations optimize their "Services," the two founders oversaw marketing, personnel management, and client support.
Skvortsov, the second bulletproof hosting founder, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.