On 30 September 2026, law enforcement took control of KillSec’s leak site, securing at least 110 terabytes of data against further unauthorised access. The cybercrime group used the site to threaten organisations with the publication of stolen files unless they paid a ransom.
The action was part of Operation KillSwitch, an international investigation led by German authorities into around 1 000 suspected attacks worldwide. Investigators identified a 16-year-old as the group’s suspected main operator. Three suspects were provisionally arrested and eight properties searched in Greece, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Authorities also targeted the group’s criminal proceeds.
KillSec stole sensitive data by exploiting vulnerabilities and poorly secured access points to organisations’ systems. Around 500 of the suspected attacks have so far been identified as successful. This figure may change as investigators examine the evidence seized during the operation.
Read more…
Source: EUROPOL News
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- INTERPOL-led operation takes down prolific cybercrime ring
November 5, 2021
SEOUL, Korea – A 30-month transcontinental investigation and operation has resulted in arrests and Red Notices for suspects believed to be behind a global malware crime network. Two Red Notices, which are internationally wanted persons alerts, have been circulated to INTERPOL’s 194 member countries following a request by Korea’s cybercrime investigation division via INTERPOL’s National Central ...
- BlackMatter ransomware gang says it’s disbanding – again – after Ukraine arrests
November 3, 2021
A member of the BlackMatter (aka Darkside) ransomware gang has publicly claimed the extortionists are shutting down, causing much excitement within the infosec world. A Russian-language message reportedly posted on a forum used by ransomware criminals is said to have announced BlackMatter’s second disappearance of 2021, the gang previously pulling a disappearing act under their former ...
- Arrests were made, but the Mekotio Trojan lives on
November 3, 2021
Despite the arrest of individuals connected with the spread of the Mekotio banking Trojan, the malware continues to be used in new attacks. On Wednesday, Check Point Research (CPR) published an analysis on Mekotio, a modular banking Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that targets victims in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain, and Peru — and is now back ...
- FBI: Ransomware targets companies during mergers and acquisitions
November 2, 2021
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns that ransomware gangs are targeting companies involved in “time-sensitive financial events” such as corporate mergers and acquisitions to make it easier to extort their victims. In a private industry notification published on Monday, the FBI said ransomware operators would use the financial information collected before attacks as leverage to ...
- Europol: 12 Targeted For Involvement In Ransomware Attacks Against Critical Infrastructure
October 29, 2021
A total of 12 individuals wreaking havoc across the world with ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure have been targeted as the result of a law enforcement and judicial operation involving eight countries. These attacks are believed to have affected over 1 800 victims in 71 countries. These cyber actors are known for specifically targeting large corporations, ...
- TrickBot malware dev extradited to U.S. faces 60 years in prison
October 29, 2021
A Russian national believed to be a member of the TrickBot malware development team has been extradited to the U.S. and is currently facing charges that could get him 60 years in prison. 38-year old Vladimir Dunaev, also known as FFX, was a malware developer that supervised the creation of TrickBot’s browser injection module, the indictment ...
