In a major blow to international cybercrime, authorities from multiple countries collaborated this week to dismantle what officials described as some of the world’s most dangerous malware operations. The effort culminated in the execution of 20 arrest warrants and the disruption of key cybercriminal infrastructure, according to statements released Friday by Europol and Eurojust.
The coordinated campaign resulted in the takedown of over 300 servers and the neutralization of 650 domains used for illicit purposes. In addition, law enforcement officials seized cryptocurrency assets valued at €3.5 million (approximately $3.9 million).
The malware targeted in the operation, categorized as “initial access malware,” is particularly dangerous due to its role in breaching systems undetected.
The software is used “for initial infection, helping cybercriminals to enter victims’ systems unnoticed and load more malware onto their devices, such as ransomware”, Europol and Eurojust said.
The crackdown part of the broader and ongoing Operation Endgame marked a significant international collaboration involving agencies from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It stands as the largest police operation to date against botnets, which are vast networks of infected computers often used for launching widespread cyberattacks.
Authorities emphasized the scale and complexity of the operation, noting that dismantling such malware infrastructure is essential to curbing the growing threat of ransomware and other cyber threats to individuals, businesses, and government systems worldwide.
