National Security
U.S. and U.K. Disrupt Lockbit Ransomware Group and Indict Two Russian Nationals While OFAC Levies Sanctions
On February 20, 2024, the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA), alongside the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), announced the disruption of…
Ransomware Payments Exceed $1 Billion in 2023, Hitting Record High After 2022 Decline
In 2023, ransomware actors intensified their operations, targeting high-profile institutions and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and government agencies. Major…
Correcting the Record: Inaccurate Methodologies for Estimating Cryptocurrency’s Role in Terrorism Financing
In recent days following the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel, we have received many questions about how terrorist…
Grassroots Crypto Adoption Continues in Eastern Europe Despite Russia-Ukraine War
This post is an excerpt from our 2023 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report. Download your copy now! Eastern Europe is the fourth-largest…
Russian and North Korean Cyberattack Infrastructure Converge: New Hacking Data Raises National Security Concerns
In the wake of a historic arms meeting between Kim Jung-un and Vladimir Putin, on-chain data reveals disturbing information: Democratic…
OFAC and South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sanction Entities Associated with North Korean Hacking and IT Worker Crypto Payment Schemes
On May 23, 2023, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs…
OFAC Sanctions Dubai-based Financial Services Firm and CEO for Role in Russian Sanctions Evasion, Includes Crypto Address as SDN Identifier
On May 19, 2023, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 22 individuals and 104 entities operating…
United States Sanctions and Charges Russia-based Ransomware Developer Mikhail Matveev
On May 16, 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Mikhail Matveev, a Russian national…
Bitcoin in War: OP_RETURN Callouts of Russian Military Bitcoin Addresses Point to Blockchains’ Growing Role in Geopolitical Conflict
The intersection of cryptocurrency and geopolitical conflict has been a growing topic over the last year. From nation state ransomware…
2022 Biggest Year Ever For Crypto Hacking with $3.8 Billion Stolen, Primarily from DeFi Protocols and by North Korea-linked Attackers
2022 was the biggest year ever for crypto hacking, with $3.8 billion stolen from cryptocurrency businesses. Hacking activity ebbed and…
Ransomware Revenue Down As More Victims Refuse to Pay
2022 was an impactful year in the fight against ransomware. Ransomware attackers extorted at least $456.8 million from victims in…
BTC-e Sends $165 Million Worth of Bitcoin to Personal Wallets, Exchanges, and Other Services
Today, BTC-e sent nearly $165 million worth of Bitcoin — representing almost all of the Bitcoin left in the service’s…
[CHAINALYSIS PODCAST EPISODE 23] How Pro-Russian Groups In Ukraine Are Soliciting Cryptocurrency Donations
Episode 23 of Public Key, the Chainalysis podcast, is here! In this episode, we talk with Andrew Fierman, Head of…
OFAC Sanctions Iranian Nationals For Their Role in Cyber Attacks, Including Ransomware
Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added ten Iranian nationals and two businesses to its Specially…
$2 Million and Counting: How Dozens of Pro-Russian Groups Are Using Cryptocurrency Donations to Fund the War in Ukraine
Pro-Russian social media accounts have collected millions of dollars in crypto donations since the start of the war in Ukraine. Here's how.