Los Angeles, 31 Otct 2024 – Two Sudanese nationals have been formally indicted for their roles in a string of cyberattacks targeting Alabama’s government websites.
In a significant crackdown on international cybercrime, a federal grand jury indictment unsealed in Los Angeles charges two Sudanese nationals with operating Anonymous Sudan, a cybercriminal group responsible for tens of thousands of Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, hospitals, and other global networks.
Reported by Justice:
The group’s leaders, identified as Ahmed Salah Yousif Omer, 22, and Alaa Salah Yusuuf Omer, 27, face multiple charges, including conspiracy to damage protected computers. Salah also faces three counts of damaging protected computers, with the maximum penalty for these crimes reaching life in prison for Salah and five years for Yusuuf Omer.
The indictment details that since early 2023, Anonymous Sudan used a sophisticated Distributed Cloud Attack Tool (DCAT) to overwhelm networks, at times paralyzing services for extended periods. Anonymous Sudan allegedly sold DCAT’s access to other criminal clients, generating revenue by offering subscription packages for their attack tool, often referred to as “Godzilla” or “Skynet.”
This tool enabled Anonymous Sudan to conduct over 35,000 DDoS attacks, targeting entities such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, whose emergency department was shut down for hours, and causing over $10 million in damages across the United States.
In March 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the FBI and other federal entities, disabled critical components of DCAT under court-authorized seizure warrants.
The seizure, part of the international Operation PowerOFF, marked a significant setback for Anonymous Sudan, disrupting the group’s ability to conduct further attacks. “Anonymous Sudan sought to maximize havoc and destruction against governments and businesses around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, underscoring the impact of these actions on public safety and security.
This operation involved major partnerships with tech companies like Amazon, Cloudflare, and Microsoft, demonstrating a collaborative stance against DDoS-for-hire services.
The investigation, conducted by the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and supported by private cybersecurity companies, highlights the ongoing threat posed by DDoS-for-hire schemes. If convicted, the accused could face substantial prison sentences. These charges underscore the commitment of U.S. law enforcement agencies to pursue cybercriminals globally, especially those threatening critical infrastructure and endangering public safety
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