Broker who sold malware to the FBI set for sentencing
theregister.com • • business
Key Points:
- Feras Khalil Ahmad Albashiti, a Jordanian national residing in Georgia, pleaded guilty to acting as an initial access broker for cyberattacks on at least 50 US companies in 2023.
- Albashiti, using the alias r1z, sold access to company networks by providing IP addresses, usernames, and firewall bypass instructions, receiving cryptocurrency payments including $5,000 and $15,000 from an undercover FBI agent.
- During a demonstration of malware designed to disable endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems, Albashiti inadvertently revealed his IP address, linking him to a ransomware attack causing $50 million in damages to a US manufacturer.
- Law enforcement identified Albashiti through US State Department
