In a concerted effort to combat international cybercrime, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia have jointly imposed sanctions on Russian national Aleksandr Ermakov. The move follows collaborative intelligence efforts, with Ermakov identified as a key actor in the Australia Medibank cyber attack of 2022.

The Medibank cyber attack, considered one of the most severe incidents in Australia’s cyber history, resulted in the compromise of 9.7 million customer records. This data, including sensitive medical and personal information, as well as details of over 480,000 health claims, was leaked on the dark web.

The exposed information encompassed highly private medical details, ranging from treatment records to mental health, sexual health, and drug use records. Today’s sanctions aim to hold Aleksandr Ermakov accountable for his role in this egregious attack, marking a significant step in the global fight against cyber threats.

As a consequence of the sanctions, Ermakov will face asset freezes and travel bans, signalling a united front against those who engage in malicious cyber activities. The UK, emphasising its commitment to tackling cyber threats, has taken a decisive stand by sanctioning Ermakov alongside its international partners.

Sanctions Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan expressed solidarity with Australia and the US, underscoring the collective commitment to holding cyber hackers accountable. She stated, “We stand with our allies in Australia and the US and will continue to hold cyber hackers to account for damaging cyber attacks designed to undermine global democracies.”

These measures, delivered in cooperation with Australia and the US, reflect ongoing efforts to counter malicious cyber activities originating from Russia.