![Four arrested in international anti-malware sweep](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/05/_2/740x404/pic_1717078549.jpg)
Four Arrested In International Anti-malware Sweep
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published May 30, 2024 | 07:15 PM
![Four arrested in international anti-malware sweep](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/05/_2/740x404/pic_1717078549.jpg)
Authorities arrested four people and took down or disrupted more than 100 servers in the "largest ever" operation against bot-nets that deploy ransom-ware, Europol said Thursday
The Hague, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th May, 2024) Authorities arrested four people and took down or disrupted more than 100 servers in the "largest ever" operation against bot-nets that deploy ransom-ware, Europol said Thursday.
Dubbed Operation Endgame, the sweep was initiated and led by France, Germany and the Netherlands, with a French official saying they wanted to act before this summer's Paris Olympics.
The attacks cost the victims, which were mainly companies and national institutions, hundreds of millions of euros, according to Dutch police, adding that the systems of millions of individuals were infected.
The May 27-29 operation led to one arrest in Armenia and three in Ukraine, with searches in both countries as well as in the Netherlands and Portugal, Europol said.
The servers were located in Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, Britain, the United States and Ukraine.
In addition to the four arrests, eight fugitive suspects linked to the case will be added to Europe's Most Wanted list.
One of the suspects earned at least 69 million Euros ($75 million) in crypto-currency by renting out criminal infrastructure sites to disseminate ransom-ware, Europol said.
"This is the largest ever operation against bot-nets, which play a major role in the deployment of ransom-ware," the agency based in The Hague said.
A bot-net is a network of computers infected by mal-ware and controlled by hackers. Authorities targeted mal-ware "droppers" -- a type of software used to insert malicious software into a system -- named IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smoke-loader, Bumblebee and Trickbot.
Trick-bot was used to launch ransom-ware attacks on US hospitals during the Covid pandemic.
The operation had "a global impact on the dropper ecosystem", Europol said.
Droppers allow criminals to bypass security measures and deploy viruses, ransomware or spyware, the agency said.
The malicious software is generally installed via emails with infected links or Word and PDF attachments, according to Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.
The agency said the operation was ongoing, with more arrests expected.
"We wanted to do this operation before the Olympic Games," Nicolas Guidoux, head of the French police's cybercrime unit, told AFP.
He said it was "important to weaken the attacking infrastructure" and "limit their resources" before the global event, as authorities fear that it could be targeted by numerous cyberattacks.
Endgame also involved authorities from Denmark, Britain and the United States, with additional support from Armenia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and Ukraine.
The investigation was launched in 2022.
German cybercrime prosecutor Benjamin Krause said health, education and public administration institutions were targeted.
Hackers would encrypt files or whole systems to block access to them and then demand money to unlock them, Krause said at a news conference, adding that such attacks threatened "the existence of companies".
French investigators identified the administrator of the SystemBC dropper, which Europol said "facilitated anonymous communication between an infected system" and "command-and-control servers".
The administrator of Pikabot -- a Trojan horse allowing the deployment of ransomware, the remote takeover of computers and data theft -- was also identified by French authorities.
French police participated in the suspect's arrest and house search in Ukraine, with authorisation from local authorities, said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
Guidoux said the number of victims will be known only after the dismantled servers are analysed.
Cybersecurity experts said Operation Endgame helped to destabilise a criminal ecosystem that is difficult to crack.
"The dropper network is a piece of infrastructure that makes life easier for many cybercriminal groups," said Jerome Saiz, founder of cybersecurity firm OPFOR Intelligence.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
![Cricket: England v West Indies 3rd Test scoreboard](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019914.jpg)
Cricket: England v West Indies 3rd Test scoreboard
![Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on refor ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019922.jpg)
Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on reform agenda, engagement with IMF
![Finland says Russian vessel violated its territori ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019912.jpg)
Finland says Russian vessel violated its territorial waters
![Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019266.jpg)
Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine
![West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019264.jpg)
West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third Test
![Ukraine court orders detention of suspect in murde ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019262.jpg)
Ukraine court orders detention of suspect in murder of nationalist ex-MP
![Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris ope ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019015.jpg)
Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris opening ceremony
![Rana Sanaullah Khan joins Paris 2024 Olympics inau ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019638.jpg)
Rana Sanaullah Khan joins Paris 2024 Olympics inauguration reception
![Glowing tributes mark 69th birthday of President Z ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019637.jpg)
Glowing tributes mark 69th birthday of President Zardari at Governor's House
![Players unaware of spying scandal as Canada Olympi ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019635.jpg)
Players unaware of spying scandal as Canada Olympic coach sent home: official
![Naqvi hails Pak women cricketers for going down fi ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019013.jpg)
Naqvi hails Pak women cricketers for going down fighting against SL
!['Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019634.jpg)
'Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: What we know
More Stories From Business
-
Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on reform agenda, engagement with IMF
7 hours ago -
Chinese support for CPEC, development projects show deep love with Pakistan: Mushahid
7 hours ago -
G20 seeks common ground on taxing super-rich
7 hours ago -
Stocks rise as inflation data boosts rate cut hopes
7 hours ago -
Land of PSM to be used for establishment of SEZs: NA body told
9 hours ago -
European medicines watchdog rejects new Alzheimer's drug
9 hours ago
-
FBR committed to resolve taxpayer issues in KP, Chairman FBR assures Governor KP
11 hours ago -
Tanveer emphasizes role of SEZs in attracting investment
11 hours ago -
Russian central bank hikes key rate to fight inflation
11 hours ago -
SBP injects Rs9.545 trillion into market
11 hours ago -
PSX stays bearish, loses 439 points
12 hours ago -
US Fed's favored inflation measure cools further in June
12 hours ago