Arrest of Ransomware Affiliate Wazawaka

Russian authorities have arrested Mikhail Matviv, known as Wazawaka, a high-profile ransomware affiliate linked to notorious groups such as Babook and Conti. He faces charges in the U.S. for orchestrating ransomware attacks against various entities including hospitals and law enforcement, with a particularly infamous incident in 2022 involving the Washington DC Metro Police. During that attack, he threatened to release sensitive police data, which contributed to the disbandment of the Babook ransomware gang shortly thereafter. The recent arrest was related to a case in Kaliningrad, highlighting his continued involvement in writing new ransomware earlier this year.