Eveline Cismaru pled guilty to charges stemming from her role in a conspiracy to illegally access approximately 126 computers associated with Metropolitan Police Dept surveillance cameras & to use those computers in connection with a scheme to distribute ransomware in Jan 2017.
Beginning in early Jan 2017 & continuing through Jan 12, 2017, a computer hacking attack on the MPD computer network disabled two-thirds of the outdoor surveillance cameras operated by MPD in the District of Columbia, just days before the 2017 Presidential Inauguration.
The computer intrusion was used to execute a ransomware attack. Once activated, the ransomware locked 126 infected computers connected to MPD surveillance cameras. The ransomware then displayed instructions explaining how to unlock each computer by the payment of Bitcoin.
The ransom, had it been paid for all 126 computers, would have totaled an estimated $60,800. While executing a ransomware attack, the conspirators converted a few of the computers into proxies & used those computers to disseminate additional ransomware and malware attacks.
At the time investigators disrupted the scheme, the conspirators were in the process of ATTACKING as many as 179,616 other computers using stolen e-mails, e-mail passwords and banking credentials.
This case was of the highest priority due to its impact on the Secret Service’s protective mission and its potential effect on the security plan for the 2017 Presidential Inauguration.
Due to the rapid response by investigators & MPD’s Chief Technology Office, overall security of the 2017 Inauguration was NOT impacted by this event. The Secret Service & MPD quickly ensured that the surveillance camera system was secure & operational PRIOR to the Inauguration.
