The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday announced “robust actions” to counter ransomware, including blocking the assets of a Russian virtual currency exchange that has facilitated payments for at least eight ransomware variants.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added SUEX OTC to its list of specially designated nationals (SDNs). An analysis found “over 40% of SUEX’s known transaction history is associated with illicit actors,” the Treasury stated. It is the first time OFAC has sanctioned a virtual currency exchange for facilitating ransomware payments.
