U.S. Department of the Treasury building in Washington D.C. AFP=Yonhap News. 

The governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia have designated seven Russia-based entities and five individuals for sanctions, citing their support for cybercrime.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), along with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), announced these joint sanctions on the 19th (local time).

'Media Land', one of the sanctioned entities, is a company headquartered in St. Petersburg, Russia, that has provided 'bulletproof hosting' services to ransomware gangs and other cybercriminal organizations.

Bulletproof hosting refers to the provision of specialized server space that allows cybercriminals to evade law enforcement despite their illegal activities.

Three subsidiaries of Media Land and three of its executives have also been included in the sanctions.

Another bulletproof hosting service provider, 'Hypercore', has also been designated for sanctions.

Hypercore was identified as a shell company of 'Aeza Group', a bulletproof hosting service provider sanctioned by the U.S. government earlier this year. Two individuals and two entities that supported Aeza Group were also included in these sanctions.

Individuals and entities subject to sanctions will have all their assets within the United States frozen, and transactions with them within the U.S. are prohibited.

"Providers of so-called 'bulletproof hosting' services, such as Media Land, offer critical services to cybercriminals that they need to attack U.S. and allied companies," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson.

"This trilateral action with Australia and the United Kingdom demonstrates our shared commitment to combating cybercrime and protecting our citizens through cooperation with our law enforcement partners," he added.

Yonhap News