Security News
Interpol has announced the takedown of a phishing-as-a-service platform called 16Shop, in addition to the arrests of three individuals in Indonesia and Japan. 16Shop specialized in the sales of phishing kits that other cybercriminals can purchase to mount phishing attacks on a large scale, ultimately facilitating the theft of credentials and payment details from users of popular services such as Apple, PayPal, American Express, Amazon, and Cash App, among others.
The Spanish National Police has apprehended a Ukrainian national wanted internationally for his involvement in a scareware operation spanning from 2006 to 2011. "The operation has been carried out by investigators from the General Information Police Station in coordination with the Provincial Information Brigades of Tenerife and Barcelona and with the El Prat Airport Police Station," a Spanish National Police press release published on Saturday reads.
Law enforcement has detained a suspect believed to be a key member of the OPERA1ER cybercrime group, which has targeted mobile banking services and financial institutions in malware, phishing, and Business Email Compromise campaigns. The suspect was arrested by authorities in Côte d'Ivoire in early June following a joint law enforcement action dubbed Operation Nervone with the help of AFRIPOL, Interpol's Cybercrime Directorate, cybersecurity company Group-IB, and telecom carrier Orange.
Police breaking into and snooping on the EncroChat encrypted messaging network has led to 6,558 arrests worldwide and nearly €740 million seized in criminal funds, according to cops in France and the Netherlands. In 2020, the two countries led the effort to bust open the communications service, compromising the network's servers and using that access to collect data from EncroChat handsets.
Europol announced today that the takedown of the EncroChat encrypted mobile communications platform has led to the arrest of over 6,600 people and the seizure of $979 million in illicit funds. EncroChat phones ran a special, hardened version of Android that promised users unbreakable encryption, anonymity, and no traceability.
Worldwide, 6558 arrests follow the dismantling of EncroChat, a tool favored by organized crime groups. Nearly EUR 900 million in criminal funds have been seized or frozen.
Europol on Tuesday announced that the takedown of EncroChat in July 2020 led to 6,558 arrests worldwide and the seizure of €900 million in illicit criminal proceeds. The law enforcement agency said that a subsequent joint investigation initiated by French and Dutch authorities intercepted and analyzed over 115 million conversations that took place over the encrypted messaging platform between no less than 60,000 users.
FBI agents have arrested a Russian man suspected of being part of the Lockbit ransomware gang. The feds allege that, through the devices, they managed to connect the suspect to an email address they say was used to register him on Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram as well as with an online betting program and a cryptocurrency exchange.
An international law enforcement operation codenamed 'SpecTor' has arrested 288 dark web vendors and customers worldwide, with police seizing €50.8 million in cash and cryptocurrency. "The vendors arrested as a result of the police action against Monopoly Market were also active on other illicit marketplaces, further impeding the trade of drugs and illicit goods on the dark web."
The Australian Federal Police has arrested four members of a cybercriminal syndicate that has laundered $1.7 million stolen from at least 15 victims between January 2020 and March 2023. Eventually, two men and two women aged between 26 and 35 were arrested in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide.