A Russian national has been sentenced to two years in prison after admitting that a botnet he managed was used to carry out ransomware attacks against dozens of US companies, according to a report.
The individual pleaded guilty to operating a phishing-based botnet that was later used to deploy BitPaymer ransomware. Investigators said the attacks targeted at least 72 organisations in the United States.
A botnet is a network of infected computers controlled remotely by cybercriminals. According to US authorities, the operator helped maintain and manage this network, which enabled other attackers to gain access to corporate systems and launch ransomware campaigns.
Court documents state that the botnet was spread through large-scale phishing campaigns. Victims were infected after interacting with malicious email attachments, allowing their devices to be incorporated into the network. The compromised systems were then used to distribute additional malware and support further attacks.
Prosecutors said the botnet played a role in ransomware incidents that resulted in significant financial damage. In similar cases linked to the same infrastructure, victims paid millions of dollars in ransom demands after their systems were encrypted and access was restricted.
The sentencing took place in a US federal court, where the defendant was also ordered to pay financial penalties and forfeit proceeds linked to the operation. Authorities stated that the case forms part of broader efforts to target individuals involved in ransomware supply chains, including those who provide access or infrastructure used in attacks.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, participated in the investigation. Officials said the case demonstrates how botnet operators can support ransomware activity even if they are not directly responsible for deploying the attacks.