A sanction has been imposed on a hacker who released Australian health insurer client data

SYDNEY (AP) — A Russian national has been sanctioned by the Australian government for his role in a cyber attack which compromised the personal details of more than 10 million Australians. In October 2022, client data from Medibank, Australia’s largest health insurer, was released by an extortionist after the company refused to pay a ransom for the personal records of current and former customers. On Tuesday, the Australian government imposed its cyber sanction powers for the first time against Aleksandr Ermakov. The sanction makes it a criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, to use or engage with Ermakov’s assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments.