The international police hit the hackers: theOperation Cronos took down the website of one of the most feared gangs, Lockbit. This collective has struck over 1,700 times, including Acea and the Lazio Region in Italy in the last three years. But the cybercriminals’ site could not resist a joint action by the British National Crime Agency, the American Federal Bureau of Investigation, Europol and other international agencies.
International police hit the Lockbit hacker site
As Repubblica explains, the operation involved a direct attack to Lockbit’s technical infrastructure, with investigators taking control of it. The message “This site is under the control of the UK’s national crime agency” now appears on the criminal group’s website. Investigators warn those who participated in the attacks: Their data may no longer be secure and may become the subject of investigations.
The investigators, through the operation, not only disrupted Lockbit’s activities but also obtained access to previously stolen data. This data will be invaluable to develop defenses and strategies against future cyber attacks. The action represents a new frontier in the fight against cybercrimeand investigators also left a message for the hackers, suggesting they “Learn how to protect yourself better.”
Lockbit, with over 1,700 attacks around the world, has left its mark in various sectors. Give her Public administrations to private companies, they hit targets in Italia, France, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany. The gang developed advanced ransomwarecome Lockbit 1.0, 2.0 e 3.0, used to encrypt victims’ computer systems and request a ransom in exchange for liberation.
Security experts interviewed by Repubblica consider Lockbit as the “Walmart of ransomware groups“, capable of managing their actions like real companies. They also provide other hackers with the tools to commit crimes.
Operation Cronos won’t stop hackers from attacking, but it shows that international police forces have the ability to enforce laws by working together.
