Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Also: AscendEX Shuts Down; Ethereum Foundation on AI Bug HuntingThis week, Ostium paused trading, AscendEX shut down, Ethereum said AI hastens bug hunting, not verification, the United States charged an inmate over seized transfer, ex-Sheriff's deputy jailed for extortion, Tangem card security, Iran-linked wallets sanctions and the U.S. may drop BitClub charges.

Also: ZachXBT Uncovers DPRK Worker Scam, Hyperbridge Hack, Coinone FineThis week, Operation Atlantic disrupts $45M phishing fraud, ZachXBT uncovers DPRK crypto worker scheme, Hyperbridge exploit, South Korea fines Coinone $3.5M, Kraken faces extortion attempt over insider data leak and American musician loses $420K in fake Ledger app.

Also: IoTex Bridge Exploit Linked to Private Key BreachThis week, Step Finance shuts down, IoTeX bridge exploit, Russia-linked exchanges help evade sanctions, Australian charged in $3.5 million scam, a hacker returned $21 million in seized bitcoin to South Korean prosecutors and Malaysia arrested 12 police officers in an extortion case.

Stealthy Group Taps Blockchain 'EtherHiding' to Facilitate Victim CommunicationsThe DeadLock ransomware group, a newly emerged digital extortion group, is using blockchain smart contracts to store proxy server addresses for facilitating ransomware negotiations with victim organizations. The technique suggests the group is made up of experienced cybercriminals.

Also: Texas Brothers Charged in $8M Crypto-Linked Kidnapping CaseThis week, Brian Quintenz won't lead the U.S. CFTC, Canada fined KuCoin $14M, Texas brothers charged in an $8M kidnapping case, South Korean actor given suspended sentence for embezzlement, phishing campaign used robots.txt and an ex-LASD deputy pleaded guilty in a business extortion scam.

US Treasury Says Crypto Exchange Helped Launder $100 Million for Ransomware GangsThe U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned Thursday a Russian founder and co-owners of the Garantex cryptocurrency exchange in a bid to tighten methods criminal hackers use to launder extortion money and Kremlin sanctions busting. Regulators also sanctioned Garantex successor Grinex.

Cryptocurrency Tracing Suggests Group Is Rebrand of Russian-Speaking BlackCat GroupEven lesser-known ransomware groups haul in serious extortion cash - although in the ransomware world, little is what it seems. Take relative newcomer Embargo, which appears to be a rebrand of, or successor to, the notorious BlackCat group, also known as Alphv.

French Police Reportedly Detain Accused Ryuk Money Launder Ekaterina ZhdanovaAn international investigation led by the United Kingdom busted Russian money cash-for-crypto laundering networks in an operation that's led to the arrest of 84 individuals and U.S. sanctions against others. One of the network allegedly laundered extortion money paid to the Ryuk ransomware group.

With Over $1 Billion in Annual Proceeds, Don't Expect Attackers to Give Up the LifeOnce the dust settles on the LockBit disruption, what will be the state of ransomware? Expect attackers to continue refining their tactics for maximizing profits via a grab bag of complementary strategies, including crypto-locking shakedowns and data-theft extortion.

Extortion Money Found in Bank Account of Aleksanteri Kivimaki, Prosecutors SayProsecutors trying the case of a Finnish national accused of attempting to extort tens of thousands of psychotherapy patients and of later posting therapy notes online said Monday that they have traced the cryptocurrency wallet used by the blackmailer to the accused man.