A Russian man who prosecutors say helped develop and distribute malware designed to steal personal financial information was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison. Mark Vartanyan, also known as “Kolypto,” was sentenced by US District Court Judge Mark Cohen in Atlanta after pleading guilty in March to computer fraud, federal prosecutors said. Vartanyan received two years of credit for time served, including more than two years in custody in Norway following his arrest there in October 2014, the Associated Press reported. Between 2012 and 2014, Vartanyan helped to develop, improve and maintain Citadel, which was offered for sale on invite-only, Russian-language internet forums frequented by cybercriminals. Prosecutors estimate the malware infected about 11 million computers worldwide and caused more than $500 million in losses.
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ORIGINAL SOURCE: CNET