Law enforcement agencies worldwide have disrupted a holiday tradition for cybercriminals: launching Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks to take websites offline.
As part of an ongoing international crackdown known as PowerOFF, authorities have seized 27 of the most popular platforms used to carry out these attacks. Known as ‘booter’ and ‘stresser’ websites, these platforms enabled cybercriminals and hacktivists to flood targets with illegal traffic, rendering websites and other web-based services inaccessible. This multifaceted operation, coordinated by Europol and involving 15 countries, targeted all levels of those engaged in this crime.
Read more…
Source: Europol
Related:
- Egregor ransomware members arrested by Ukrainian, French police
February 14, 2021
A joint operation between French and Ukrainian law enforcement has reportedly led to the arrests of several members of the Egregor ransomware operation in Ukraine. As reported first by France Inter, on Tuesday, law enforcement made the arrests after French authorities could trace ransom payments to individuals located in Ukraine. The arrested individuals are thought to be ...
- British cyber gang ‘stole large amounts from US sports and music stars after accessing their phones’
February 10, 2021
Eight Britons have been arrested for hacking into the phones of US celebrities to steal money and personal information – even posing as them online. Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said sports stars, musicians and their families had been targeted by the scam in which criminals gain access to their victim’s phones or accounts. This allowed them ...
- World’s Most Dangerous Malware Emotet Disrupted Through Global Action
January 27, 2021
Law enforcement and judicial authorities worldwide have this week disrupted one of most significant botnets of the past decade: EMOTET. Investigators have now taken control of its infrastructure in an international coordinated action. This operation is the result of a collaborative effort between authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Lithuania, ...
- US Department of Justice Launches Global Action Against NetWalker Ransomware
January 27, 2021
The Department of Justice today announced a coordinated international law enforcement action to disrupt a sophisticated form of ransomware known as NetWalker. NetWalker ransomware has impacted numerous victims, including companies, municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities. Attacks have specifically targeted the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of the ...
- UK: ‘Human error’ blamed for wiping of thousands of police records
January 15, 2021
Home Secretary Priti Patel must “take responsibility” for the wiping of 150,000 arrest records from police databases, Labour has said. The records were accidentally wiped last week and they included fingerprint, DNA and arrest histories, according to The Times. The newspaper says the technological blunder could allow offenders to go free, as evidence from crime scenes would ...
- Europol: World’s Largest Illegal Dark Web Marketplace Taken Down
January 12, 2021
DarkMarket, the world’s largest illegal marketplace on the dark web, has been taken offline in an international operation involving Germany, Australia, Denmark, Moldova, Ukraine, the United Kingdom (the National Crime Agency), and the USA (DEA, FBI, and IRS). Europol supported the takedown with specialist operational analysis and coordinated the cross-border collaborative effort of the countries ...