An Interpol-led collaborative operation targeting phishing, banking malware and ransomware attacks has identified 1,300 suspicious IP addresses and URLs.
The law enforcement effort, codenamed Synergia, took place between September and November 2023 in an effort to blunt the “development, growth, and commercialization of international cybercrime.”
Involving 60 law enforcement agencies from 55 Member States, the exercise led to the detection of more than 1,300 malicious servers, 70% of which have already been taken down in Europe. Authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore shut down 153 and 86 servers, respectively.
Servers, as well as electronic equipment, were seized after more than 30 houses were searched. Seventy suspects have been identified so far and 31 people have been arrested from Europe, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.
Singapore-headquartered Group-IB, which also contributed to the operation, said it had “identified over 500 IP addresses hosting phishing resources and over 1,900 IP addresses associated with ransomware, trojan and banking malware operations. “
The rogue infrastructure was hosted in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore, with resources distributed across over 200 web hosting providers worldwide.
“The results of this operation, achieved through the collective efforts of many countries and partners, demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the security of the digital space,” said Bernardo Pilot, Assistant Director of the INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate.
“By destroying the infrastructure behind phishing, banking malware and ransomware attacks, we are one step closer to the security of our digital ecosystem and a safer, more secure online experience for everyone.”
The development comes more than a month after another six-month-long international police operation called HAECHI-IV resulted in the arrest of nearly 3,500 individuals in 34 countries and the seizure of $300 million.