Black Basta Ransomware Leader Added to EU and Interpol Wanted Lists The alleged mastermind behind the Black Basta ransomware group, Oleg Evgenievich Nefedov, a 35-year-old Russian national, has been added to the European Union’s Most Wanted list and Interpol’s Red Notice following a joint investigation by German and Ukrainian authorities. Nefedov is accused of founding and leading the group, which has carried out at least 525 ransomware attacks since its formation in 2022. German law enforcement describes Nefedov as the group’s "managing director," responsible for selecting targets, recruiting members, overseeing ransom negotiations, and distributing profits. Authorities also link him to the now-defunct Conti ransomware group. Two additional suspects, operating in Ukraine, were identified for their role in hacking protected systems and extracting passwords to gain unauthorized access to corporate networks. Their residences were raided, resulting in the seizure of digital devices and cryptocurrency assets. Black Basta, also known as Zirco Data hackers, gained notoriety in February 2024 after breaching Zirco Data, an Australian firm, and leaking 395GB of sensitive data, including financial documents and confidentiality agreements. The attack impacted clients such as Monash Health and the Department of Home Affairs. A month later, the group exposed over 700GB of data from more than a dozen Australian companies, including Advanced Catering Systems, Australian Textile Mills, and Optimum Health Services, following an attack on a local cloud hosting provider.