Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025

"One Of World's Largest" Cybercrime Markets For Stolen Identities Busted

"One Of World's Largest" Cybercrime Markets For Stolen Identities Busted

The global sweep targeting the Genesis Market resulted in 119 arrests, involved 17 countries and was led by the FBI and Dutch police, the EU's policing agency said.
International police have shut down what they called "one of the world's largest" online markets dealing in millions of stolen identities and account details, Europol said on Wednesday.

The global sweep targeting the Genesis Market resulted in 119 arrests, involved 17 countries and was led by the FBI and Dutch police, the EU's policing agency said.

The operation was dubbed "Operation Cookie Monster".

"An unprecedented law enforcement operation involving 17 countries has resulted in the takedown of Genesis Market, one of the most dangerous marketplaces selling stolen account credentials to hackers worldwide," Europol said.

"Genesis Market listed for sale the identities of over two million people when it was shut down," the Hague-based agency said.

Action against criminals took place in countries including Australia, Britain, Canada, the United States and more than 10 countries in Europe.

"Through the combined efforts of all the law enforcement authorities involved, we have severely disrupted the criminal cyber ecosystem by removing one of its key enablers," said Edvardas Sileris, who heads Europol's European Cybercrime Centre, which assisted in the operation.

The EU's judicial agency, Eurojust, which is also based in The Hague said it was a "multi-country effort dubbed Operation Cookie Monster".

"Genesis Market customers were located all over the world and actively purchasing stolen packages of victim data until this takedown," it said.

'Invitation only'

Britain's National Crime Agency said 24 people were arrested in Britain. Another 17 people were arrested in The Netherlands.

Europol said the Genesis Market offered "bots" for sale that had infected victims' devices through malware or other methods.

"Upon purchase of such a bot, criminals would get access to all the data harvested by it such as fingerprints, cookies, saved logins and autofill form data," it said.

The information was collected in real time so buyers would be notified of any change of passwords.

Unlike so-called "dark web" services, Genesis was available on the open web "although obscured from law enforcement behind an invitation-only veil", the agency said.

"Its accessibility and cheap prices greatly lowered the barrier of entry for buyers, making it a popular resource among hackers."

The closure of the Genesis Market comes after a number of cyber crackdowns involving Europol.

In April 2022 it said international investigators had shut down "Raidforums", a massive online forum that sold access to hacked databases stolen from US corporations.

In 2021 it announced the disrupting of the "world's most dangerous" cybercrime malware tool used to break into computer systems, called EMOTET.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Five Billionaires on Track to Break One Trillion Dollar Wealth Barrier
Julia Sebutinde to Lead International Court of Justice: A Historic Transition
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Properties Purchased by Non-EU Residents
Rising Casualties and Intense Diplomacy: The Conflict in Gaza Continues
Joseph Aoun Elected as Lebanon's New President: Ending a Prolonged Power Vacuum
Joseph Aoun Elected Lebanon’s 14th President Amid Political Stalemate
Trump Signals Shake-Up at the Pentagon Amid Transition Concerns
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Last-Minute Bid to Block Sentencing in New York
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Escalation in West Bank: Israeli Boy Killed in Palestinian Gun Attack
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Appeal to Delay Sentencing in New York Hush Money Case
Lancet Study Reveals Underestimation of Gaza War Death Toll by 40 Percent
Global Acclaim Follows Election of Lebanon's New President Joseph Aoun
Saudi Leaders Extend Congratulations to Joseph Aoun, New President of Lebanon
UN Accuses Israel of Restricting Humanitarian Aid in Northern Gaza
US Pledges $500 Million Military Aid Package to Ukraine
Ethiopia Endures a Series of Earthquakes in Brief Timespan
Joseph Aoun: Lebanon's Fourteenth President Amid a Legacy of Challenges
President Biden Reports Meaningful Progress on Gaza Agreement
Lancet Study Reveals Higher Gaza Death Toll than Official Reports
Global and Arab Welcome for Joseph Aoun's Election as Lebanon's President
Biden Cites 'Real Progress' in Gaza Deal Talks Amid Intense Negotiation Efforts
Escalation in Gaza: Casualties Rise Amidst Ongoing Negotiations
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Negotiations Continue
Quaker Group Cancels NYT Ad Over Dispute on Gaza Terminology
IDF Imposes Media Restraints Amid Legal Concerns For Soldiers
Trump's Counter-terrorism Nominee Urges UK to Repatriate British IS Members from Syria
Uncovering Iraq's Mass Graves: A Haunting Search for the Missing
Kurdish Commander Appeals to Trump for Continued U.S. Military Presence in Syria
Global Powers Call for Stabilization Efforts in Syria Amid Transition
Syria at a Crossroads: The Unceremonious Collapse of the Assad Regime
Trump's Syria Conundrum: Staying Out May Be Easier Said Than Done
Syrian Rebel Leader Pledges to Dismantle Assad's Notorious Prisons
Escalation in Gaza: Increased Casualties Amid Ongoing Conflict
Dissecting Luxury: A Study of American Society in the Digital Age
Escalating Violence in Gaza as Ceasefire Negotiations Intensify
US Eases Missile Technology Export Regulations for Key Allies
Escalation in Gaza Conflict: Fatal Strikes and Escalation in the West Bank
Gaza Cola: A Palestinian Initiative Aimed at Rebuilding Amidst Conflict
Poland Shuts Consulate in Saint Petersburg Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Miracle at Sea: Baby Born on Migrant Vessel Rescued by Spanish Coast Guard
Saudi Crown Prince Engages in Diplomatic Dialogue with Ukraine’s Zelensky
Israeli Military Recovers Body of Hostage in Gaza, Evidence Suggests Son Also Killed
Explosion at Ammunition Depot Rocks Syria's Idlib Region
Saudi Arabia Battling Unprecedented Floods Amid Torrential Rains
Cease-fire Negotiations in Qatar: No Timeline for Resolution
UN Seeks Additional $371.4 Million for Lebanon Amidst Ongoing Crisis
Saudi Arabia Continues Aid Bridge to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Israel Declares West Bank a 'Primary Arena' of Threats Amid Escalating Conflict
U.S. Sanctions Shake Sudan's Political Landscape Amid Ongoing Conflict
×