Global pursuit of chiefly Russian cyber offenders - Global Action Taken Against predominantly Russian Cyber Threat Actors
German Authorities Issue Arrest Warrants for 20 Russian Cybercriminals
A joint operation among several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, France, and others, has led to the seizure of around 300 servers and 650 internet domains used by predominantly Russian cybercriminals. The servers included around 50 based in Germany.
According to the authorities, this action has significantly weakened the technical infrastructure of these cybercriminals and confiscated cryptocurrency worth approximately €3.5 million. In Germany, investigations are underway for suspected organized extortion and membership in a foreign criminal organization. Twenty international arrest warrants have been issued for suspected Russian cybercriminals, based on these suspicions.
Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) President, Holger Münch, stated, "Our strategies are proving effective, even in the seemingly anonymous Darknet." He added that such measures are significant contributions to cybersecurity.
The specific groups targeted by the arrest warrants are suspected members of the Trickbot and Qakbot cybercrime groups. These cybercriminals have been accused of developing, distributing, and profiting from malware, particularly the Trickbot and Qakbot trojans. These trojans have been used for large-scale data theft, ransomware deployment, and facilitating financially motivated cyberattacks.
Although the full list of the personal identities of the cybercriminals remains undisclosed to the public, recent press releases and law enforcement reports indicate that the German authorities are primarily targeting Russian nationals believed to be key actors in major cybercrime networks. Most of the targeted individuals are believed to be out of reach for Western justice due to residing in Russia.
- Related Sources:
- [1] "Global Crackdown on Predominantly Russian Cybercriminals" (Original News Text)
- [2] "Germany's Crackdown on Russian Cybercriminals Targets Major Malware Networks" (Source: Associated Press)
- [3] "German Cybercrime Group Trickbot and Qakbot Targeted in Global Takedown" (Source: Reuters)
- [4] "Trickbot and Qakbot Cybercrime Groups Disrupted by Global Takedown" (Source: CyberScoop)
- [5] "The Global Takedown of Russian Cybercrime Groups Trickbot and Qakbot" (Source: The Hacker News)
- Given the ongoing global crackdown on cybercriminals, particularly the Trickbot and Qakbot groups, it is crucial for EC countries to reassess and reinforce their employment policy, focusing on cybersecurity professionals who can combat these threats.
- As technology advances and cybercrime becomes an increasingly significant issue in general-news and crime-and-justice, it is important for EC employment policy to prioritize training and recruitment programs in the field of technology, ensuring a ready workforce to combat cyber threats and maintain justice.
