The Australian government has imposed cyber sanctions on a Russian individual, Aleksandr Ermakov, for his involvement in the breach of the Medibank Private network, which occurred 18 months ago. During the attack, over 9.7 million records were stolen, including Medicare numbers, sensitive medical information, dates of birth, and names. In response to this cybercrime, Australia has issued a travel ban and targeted financial sanctions against Ermakov, with the goal of making it a criminal offense to provide assets to him or use or deal with his assets, including via cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments.
This measure was announced by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Defence Minister Richard Marles, and Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil in a joint press conference on January 23. Wong stated that these cyber sanctions send a clear message that there are “costs and consequences for targeting Australia and targeting Australians.” She confirmed that Australian Signals Directorate and the AFP have linked Ermakov to the attack.
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson criticized the government for taking too long to impose sanctions, questioning why it has taken so long to do so. On the other hand, the government stated that the Australian Signals Directorate and other agencies have been working tirelessly for the past 18 months to link Ermakov to the cyberattack on Medibank and ensure Australians are protected from malicious cyber activity.
Furthermore, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles emphasized that the government is continuing to work with international partners to ensure cyber criminals are held accountable for their actions and that activities that disrupt their capability to target Australians in cyberspace will be relentlessly pursued. Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil echoed this sentiment, stating that the Australian government condemns malicious cyber activity and will work with partners to punish individuals who attempt to perpetrate cybercrime in the country.