Ukrainian police, with support from Europol, have arrested a 35-year-old man accused of hacking into a global hosting company and using its servers to mine cryptocurrency illegally.
The suspect, from the city of Poltava in central Ukraine, had been carrying out cyberattacks since at least 2018, according to authorities. Police say he used information from open sources to spot weaknesses in the systems of international companies.
Investigators found that the man gained unauthorized access to over 5,000 user accounts linked to a global hosting provider. This company rents out servers to businesses that run websites and online platforms. After breaking in, the hacker allegedly created virtual machines on the company’s servers and ran crypto-mining operations without the company’s knowledge.
The Ukrainian cyber police estimate that the illegal activity caused $4.5 million in losses to the hosting company.
During multiple raids, officers seized computers, mobile phones, banking cards, and other devices. A forensic investigation showed that the suspect had several accounts on hacker forums. He also used various tools, including software for launching and managing crypto-mining systems, data theft, and remote control of compromised machines.
Police said the man moved frequently to avoid arrest. The investigation is still underway.
