9 Russians charged with cyberattacks targeting US companies

The Justice Department earlier this week charged nine Russian nationals who they say used Russian-based malware in cyberattacks to steal money from U.S. companies, governments and school districts.

Mikhail Tsarev, Andrey Zhuykov, Maksim Galochkin, Dimitry Putlin, Sergey Loguntsov, Max Mikhaylov, Makism Rudensky, Valentin Karyagin, and Maskim Khaliullin allegedly used malware tools, Trickbot and Conti, to infiltrate Americans' devices, according to the DOJ.

The defendants are behind "one of the most prolific ransomware variants used in cyberattacks across the United States, including attacks on local police departments and emergency medical services," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement released by the Justice Department.