Australian Government names Russian man involved in Medibank hack – imposes sanctions against individual and associates

Aleksandr Ermakov (Yermakov) has been named and shamed by the Australian Government as an individual involved in the breach of the Medibank private computer network which resulted in the details of millions of Australians and their most sensitive data being exposed on the Dark Web.

Ermakov is now the subject of targeted financial sanctions and a travel ban, meaning he’s not coming to do the Bridge Climb any day soon.

Critically, the sanctions mean it’s a criminal offence to provide assets to him, or to use or deal with his assets including through cryptocurrency or ransomware payments.

Doing so could result in up to 10 years imprisonment.

This is the first time Australia’s own cyber-sanctions have bene used, and the Government came out in force with Deputy PM Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Cyber Security Minister Claire O’Neil all at a joint press conference to announce the sanctions.

While this is a big deal, and naming an attacker like this shows a strength in our cyber security investigative capabilities, it doesn’t get our data back, nor compensate any Aussies affected.

What it does do is serve as a warning to hackers not to target Australia, but at the same time, it’s unlikely Ermakov, or the hacking group he is a known member of “REvil” will be put off. They operate from Russia and in reality these sanctions will do very little to restrict their operations in any way.