A federal grand jury has indicted two Sudanese nationals, Ahmed Salah Yousif Omer, 22, and Alaa Salah Yusuuf Omer, 27.
The pair are accused of operating Anonymous Sudan, a notorious cybercriminal group responsible for tens of thousands of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks targeting critical infrastructure and government agencies globally.
Unveiling the Cybercriminal Network
The indictment, unsealed today, reveals that Anonymous Sudan has used a sophisticated tool known as the Distributed Cloud Attack Tool (DCAT) to launch over 35,000 DDoS attacks since early 2023.
These attacks have targeted sensitive entities such as the Departments of Justice and Defense and major corporations like Microsoft Corp. and Riot Games Inc.
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The group’s actions have caused significant disruptions, including a notable incident where Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s emergency department was forced to redirect patients for eight hours due to an attack.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada condemned the group’s actions as “callous and brazen,” emphasizing their impact on critical services like hospitals.
The FBI’s seizure of Anonymous Sudan’s DDoS tool in March 2024 marked a pivotal moment in dismantling the group’s capabilities.
Legal and Investigative Efforts
Ahmed Salah is charged with one count of conspiracy to damage protected computers and three counts of damaging protected computers.
If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence in federal prison. Alaa Salah faces up to five years if found guilty.
These charges underscore the seriousness with which U.S. authorities are addressing cyber threats.
Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day from the FBI Anchorage Field Office highlighted the success of disabling the attack platform through court-authorized seizure warrants.
This action was part of Operation PowerOFF, an international effort to dismantle criminal DDoS-for-hire infrastructures.
Collaborative International Response
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.
The collaborative effort extended to private sector partners such as Akamai SIRT, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, and Google.
Kenneth A. DeChellis of DCIS emphasized the importance of these partnerships in safeguarding networks against evolving cyber threats.
The operation demonstrates a robust international resolve to hold cybercriminals accountable and protect global cybersecurity.
As this case progresses through the legal system, it is a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against cybercrime and the critical need for vigilance and cooperation among nations and private entities.
The indictment is a significant step towards justice for victims worldwide, but it also highlights the persistent threat posed by sophisticated cybercriminal networks.
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