The criminal group gained unauthorized access to the servers of the State Hydrography State Institution and used its capabilities to spam compromising information. The purpose of the cyber-fraud scheme was allegedly to extort funds from an international IT company.

It is reported by RBC-Ukraine a reference to UNIAN.

According to the police, the actions of an organized criminal group, which could have been headed by Elena Krikun from Vinnytsia, affected the strategic state institution State Hydrography and a powerful IT company known in Europe.

According to the law enforcement agencies cited by the journalists, a group of cybercriminals probably took advantage of gaps in the internal information security infrastructure system of the state institution. And having received unauthorized access to the servers of the State Hydrography State Institution, used their capabilities to send out messages to discredit a European IT company.

Spam was sent to the e-mail addresses of counterparties and investors of the company in order to extort funds from entrepreneurs for not disclosing classified information supposedly known to the attackers. We are talking about the amount of 3 million dollars, the newspaper notes.

It is also reported that subsequently the defendants switched from informational to forceful pressure: the director of an IT company was threatened with kidnapping and physical violence.

As UNIAN informs, on this fact, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv opened criminal proceedings under Part 1 of Art. 361 of the Criminal Code (Unauthorized intervention in the operation of information (automated), electronic communication, information and communication systems, electronic communication networks), part 2 of Art. 355 of the Criminal Code (compulsion to fulfill or non-fulfillment of civil obligations, committed repeatedly or by prior agreement by a group of persons, or with the threat of murder or infliction of grievous bodily harm) and Part 2 of Art. 189 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Demand made repeatedly, either by prior agreement by a group of persons, or by an official using his official position, or with the threat of murder or infliction of grievous bodily harm). Operational support is provided by the Strategic Investigations Division of the Strategic Investigations Department within the National Police of Ukraine.

The sanctions of these articles provide for a fine of 1,000 to 3000 tax-free citizens minimum incomes or restriction of liberty for up to 3 years and imprisonment for a period of 3 to 10 years, respectively.

Recall that State Hydrography State Institution is responsible for navigation and hydrographic support within the exclusive maritime economic zone of Ukraine in the Black and Azov Seas, as well as on inland waterways. The state institution is subordinate to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the Maritime Administration.