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Interpol disrupts cybercrime activity on 22,000 IP addresses, arrests 41. Interpol announced it arrested 41 individuals and taken down 1,037 servers and infrastructure running on 22,000 IP addresses facilitating cybercrime in an international law enforcement action titled Operation Synergia II. The operation took place between April and August 2024, spanning 95 countries and resulting in 41 arrests of those linked to various crimes, including ransomware, phishing, and information stealers. Interpol said its enforcement action was backed by intelligence provided by private cybersecurity firms like Group-IB, Kaspersky, Trend Micro, and Team Cymru, leading to the identification of over 30,000 suspicious IP addresses. Eventually, roughly 76% of those were taken down, 59 servers were seized, and 43 electronic devices were confiscated, which will be examined to retrieve additional evidence. In addition to the 41 individuals who were arrested, the authorities are also investigating another 65 persons suspected of associating with illicit activities. Location-based highlights from the operation are given below: "The global nature of cybercrime requires a global response which is evident by the support member countries provided to Operation Synergia II. Together, we've not only dismantled malicious infrastructure but also prevented hundreds of thousands of potential victims from falling prey to cybercrime," said Neal Jetton, Interpol's Director of the Cybercrime Directorate The law enforcement agency says that generative AI is being used to enhance phishing operations, and information stealers are increasingly used as precursors to ransomware attacks, with the use of info stealers increasing by 70% last year. Interpol's announcement concludes that phishing, ransomware, and info-stealer malware are currently among the most critical cyber threats, making this action a priority.

Daily Brief Summary

CYBERCRIME // Interpol Arrests 41 in Global Cybercrime Crackdown Operation

Interpol's Operation Synergia II led to 41 arrests and dismantled 1,037 servers related to cybercrimes including ransomware and phishing.

The operation targeted 22,000 IP addresses worldwide and successfully took down approximately 76% of them.

In addition to server seizures, 59 servers and 43 electronic devices were confiscated for further evidence extraction.

Intelligence from cybersecurity firms such as Group-IB and Kaspersky played a crucial role in identifying over 30,000 suspicious IPs.

Operation spanned from April to August 2024, involving law enforcement from 95 countries.

Ongoing investigations are targeting an additional 65 individuals suspected of involvement in cybercriminal activities.

The crackdown highlights a rise in the use of generative AI for phishing schemes and a 70% increase in information stealer use, setting the stage for ransomware attacks.

Interpol emphasized the global nature of cybercrime and the necessity of coordinated international efforts to combat its rise.