Author of BHEK Arrested by Russian Authorities

Cso.com.au reported on 8th October, 2013 stating that according to murmurings on 7th October, 2013 (Monday), the notorious writer of the BlackHole exploit kit (BHEK) better known as "Paunch" had been detained in Russia.

On Monday (7th October, 2013) two security experts claimed that the individual at the back one of the biggest scourges of the web had been imprisoned though complete details of the arrest remained vague till the news was finally confirmed by the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) on 8th October, 2013.

Cso.com.au reported a tweet by Maarten Boone, a Security Analyst of Netherlands-based security firm Fox-IT, on 8th October, 2013 as "BHEK (Blackhole exploit kit) author's 'Paunch' and his associates had been arrested in Russia".

Cso.com.au reported on 8th October, 2013 quoting claims by Aleks Gostev, Chief Security Expert of Global Research and Analysis Team with Kaspersky Lab, as "our sources had just confirmed me the arrest of BlackHole author".

Cso.com.au reported on 8th October, 2013 stating that as accords to security researcher, Kafeine, a site known as crypt.am is managed by Paunch which made possible rapid domain registration to be also down on 7th October, 2013, Monday.

As accords to the security researcher, the imprisonment of 'Paunch' would be a chief happening in the business of exploit kit which could lead to a chain response of more detentions and disruptions."

Ibtimes.co.uk published news on 8th October, 2013 quoting Jerome Segura, senior security researcher of security firm Malwarebytes as saying "The arrest of Paunch and his associates means that criminals who have rented Blackhole will no longer receive updates and ultimately the exploit and payload are 'going to be stale'."

The BHEK is employed to booby trap hijacked web sites to download malware without the knowledge of the user. The type of malware downloaded includes banking Trojan and ransomware.

As per AVG, Blackhole (BHEK) is the most widespread e-threat on the Internet accounting for 91% of all Internet threats.

And although people like Paunch are difficult to arrest as they take numerous measures to protect their real identities, law enforcement agencies have been very efficient in catching individuals like them over the past few years.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/19/2013