In the latest move against cybercrime gangs, 12 persons have been arrested as part of an international law enforcement investigation for organizing ransomware attacks on key infrastructure and big companies. Their attacks have affected over 1,800 victims in 71 nations since 2019.
On October 26, the arrests were conducted in Ukraine and Switzerland, resulting in the confiscation of $52,000 in cash, five luxury automobiles, and various technological gadgets. The agencies are investigating them to unearth fresh forensic proof of their criminal acts and seek new investigation leads.
LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Dharma ransomware have all been connected to the suspects. As per a press release from Europol, the intended suspects all had distinct responsibilities in these sophisticated, highly organized criminal organizations.
A few of these cybercriminals were involved in the penetration attempt, which included brute force attacks, stolen passwords, SQL injections, and phishing emails with malicious attachments, among other methods.
According to a second statement from the country’s National Criminal Investigation Service, the accused people are also suspected of being behind the March 2019 ransomware operation on Norwegian aluminum manufacturer Norsk Hydro, according to a second statement from the country’s National Criminal Investigation Service.
Under the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT), the combined task force included authorities from Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Ukraine, and the U. S., along with Europol and Eurojust.
The news comes just weeks after representatives from the United States, the European Union, and 30 other countries pledged to reduce the risk of ransomware and solidify the financial system against exploitation to prevent the ecosystem from being disrupted, describing it as an “escalating global security threat with serious economic and security consequences.”
