Cyber chronicle, 27.02.2023, 09:00 AM
Darius Pankov, the 28-year-old Russian national accused of developing the NLBruce hacking tool, has been extradited to the US, where he could spend more than four decades behind bars.
Pankov, known by the pseudonym “dpxaker,” is charged with computer fraud and conspiracy, and faces a maximum sentence of 47 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
US authorities allege that a Russian national created NLBrute, a piece of malware used to decrypt login credentials such as passwords and encryption keys.
NLBrute is a tool that automates password guessing by trying all possible combinations of symbols, characters and numbers.
“Pankov used NLBrute to obtain login credentials for tens of thousands of computers located around the world.” He advertised, sold and had other cyber criminals sell NLBrutes on his behalf, for a fee,” announced the Ministry of Justice.
A Russian hacker was selling stolen credentials on dark web forums. Pankov is believed to have hacked around 35,000 devices and made more than $350,000 by selling credentials.
He was arrested in Georgia last October and extradited to the US. US authorities expect to seize Punk’s ill-gotten gains, which they believe can be traced.
Cover photo: Philipp Katzenberger, Unsplash
