Security News > 2023 > February > Dutch police arrest three cyberextortion suspects who allegedly earned millions

Dutch police announced late last week that they'd arrested three young men, aged between 18 and 21, suspected of cybercrimes involving breaking in, stealing data, and then demanding hush money.

Late last year, for example, we wrote about a trick that the Dutch police used for some time against the DEADBOLT ransomware gang, who scramble unpatched QNAP network storage devices over the internet, and demand payment in Bitcoins to decrypt the ruined files.

The Dutch cops didn't know who was behind the ransom demands, but they were able to "Cheat the crooks back" by buying decryption keys for 155 victims, but then pulling the rug out from under the crooks before the payment went through.

Intriguingly, these latest Dutch arrests relate to cybercriminality going back to March 2021, when the suspects would have been two years younger still.

The Dutch police would love to hear from you, especially if you may have any information about recent cybecriminality that might relate to the suspects above - for example because you were blackmailed with the threat of stolen data being leaked online or of further, more destructive, attacks.

You can find out more about how Dutch law enforcement is taking on cybercrime on the police website, and read a short briefing document for IT specialists that gives tips not only on how to keep cybercrooks out in the first place, but also how to preserve useful evidence for police and the courts if attackers do get into your network.

News URL

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2023/02/27/dutch-police-arrest-three-cyberextortion-suspects-who-allegedly-earned-millions/