Latest news with #Eurojust
4 days ago
- Politics
Pro-Russia cybercrime network targeted by European law enforcement
LONDON -- Law enforcement officials in Europe said they had coordinated the dismantling of an international pro-Russian cybercrime network, arresting two members, issuing warrants for others in Russia and disrupting the group's main infrastructure. The network, known as NoName057(16), was alleged to have targeted Ukraine and countries that supported Kyiv in its fight against the Russian invasion, Europol said in a statement Wednesday. The group was alleged to have recruited volunteers via "pro-Russian channels, forums, and even niche chat groups on social media and messaging apps." "Individuals acting for NoName057(16) are mainly Russian-speaking sympathisers who use automated tools to carry out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks," Europol said in a statement. Two people were arrested, one in France and one in Spain, officials said of the 3-day operation. Seven other arrest warrants were issued, including six by Germany for alleged hackers living in Russia, Europol said. "The group, which professed support for the Russian Federation since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, executed multiple DDoS attacks during high-level political events in Europe," the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, or Eurojust, said in a statement posted to social media. The FBI in the United States was among the law enforcement agencies who took action against the group, Europol said. Europol and Eurojust, the European Union's top law-enforcement agencies, coordinated the operation, which they called "Eastwood." They were joined by authorities from Czechia, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The hacking group was estimated to have mobilized some 4,000 users to support their operations, Eurojust said. Europol and other law enforcement agencies sent some 1,000 alleged supporters messages notifying them of "their legal liability," Europol said. Investigators said they disrupted more than 100 servers used by the group, along with a "major part" of the group's main infrastructure. Law enforcement officers searched two dozen houses throughout Europe and questioned people in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Spain, according to Europol. The pro-Russian group was accused of a series of hacks, including attacking banks and government offices in Sweden, along with perpetrating waves of cyber attacks in Germany and elsewhere. The attacks in Germany targeted some 230 organizations and businesses, including 'arms factories, power suppliers and government organizations,' according to Eurojust. "In Switzerland, multiple attacks were also carried out in June 2023, during a Ukrainian video-message addressed to the Joint Parliament, and in June 2024, during the Peace Summit for Ukraine at Bürgenstock," Europol said.
France 24
5 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Europol-coordinated operation takes down pro-Russian hacking group
EU anti-crime bodies Europol and Eurojust said Wednesday they had coordinated an international operation to dismantle a pro-Russian hacking group accused of launching thousands of online attacks against Ukraine and its allies. The network, known as NoName057(16), was disrupted following raids in 12 countries between July 14 and 17, they said. The operation led to the arrest of two people, one in France and one in Spain, they added. "The actions led to the disruption of an attack-infrastructure consisting of over one hundred computer systems worldwide, while a major part of the group's central server infrastructure was taken offline," Europol said in a statement. Authorities issued seven international arrest warrants, including six for suspects based in Russia. Two of those are believed to be the principal organisers of the group's activities, the statement said. The hacker group is responsible for multiple attacks on critical infrastructure such as electricity suppliers and public transport systems in Europe, according to the agencies. The hackers used distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which overload websites and applications with targeted requests until they become inaccessible. "Offenders associated to the NoName057(16) cybercrime network targeted primarily Ukraine, but have shifted their focus to attacking countries that support Ukraine in the ongoing defence against the Russian war of aggression, many of which are members of NATO," the statement said. The group carried out 14 attacks in Germany, some lasting several days and affecting around 230 organisations including arms factories, power suppliers and government agencies, the European agencies said. Attacks were also carried out across Europe during the European elections. Swedish government and banking websites were hit, while in Switzerland attacks coincided with a June 2023 EU speech by Ukraine's president and the June 2024 peace summit. Most recently, the Netherlands was attacked during the NATO summit in late June, the agencies added.
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Bloomberg
Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group Disrupted by European Authorities
European authorities said they've disrupted the computer infrastructure of a pro-Russian hacktivist group that's claimed responsibility for more than 1,000 denial-of-service attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The law enforcement actions targeted a group calling itself NoName057(16) and consisted of a 'day of action' on Tuesday that involved the takedown of more than 100 servers worldwide used by the group to launch attacks, according to an announcement on Wednesday from Europol and Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation. The actions also included two arrests in France and Spain, searches of two dozen homes in Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, France and Poland, and the issuance of arrest warrants for six Russian nationals, including two believed to the 'main instigators' responsible for the group's attacks, the authorities said.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Europol says pro-Russia hacking group broken up
THE HAGUE: EU anti-crime bodies Europol and Eurojust said Wednesday they had coordinated an international operation to dismantle a pro-Russian hacking group accused of launching thousands of online attacks against Ukraine and its allies. The network, known as NoName057(16), was disrupted following raids in 12 countries between July 14 and 17, they said. Germany and Spain led the legal action, while police made arrests in France and Spain.
Free Malaysia Today
17-06-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Major European drug-trading platform shuttered, operator held
'Archetyp Market' was one of the largest and longest-running criminal trading platforms on the darknet. (Freepik pic) FRANKFURT : A major European drug-trading platform operating on the so-called darknet has been closed down and its main operator arrested following an international investigation, officials said today. 'Archetyp Market' was one of the 'largest and longest-running criminal trading platforms on the darknet', with at least €250 million of illegal narcotics sold through the site, said German prosecutors, who played a key role in the probe. The site, active for over five years, offered drugs ranging from cannabis to heroin and cocaine, with payment made exclusively in cryptocurrency. It was also one of the only platforms to offer fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, which have driven an epidemic of deadly overdoses in the US, according to the EU anti-crime bodies Europol and Eurojust, which coordinated the investigation. When it was closed, the site had more than 600,000 user accounts and around 3,200 vendors, they said. Several hundred officials across five European countries targeted people allegedly involved in running the site as well as servers during raids between June 11 and 13, the EU bodies said. The site's alleged founder and operator, a 30-year-old German citizen, was arrested in Barcelona, according to German officials. The servers used to run the site were then targeted and shut down by police in the Netherlands, and a further seven arrests were made in Sweden. Assets worth around €7.8 million were seized, as well as other pieces of evidence including computers and phones. The 'darknet' includes websites that can be accessed only with specific software or authorisations, ensuring anonymity for users.
