EU, US authorities take down malware network
European, American and Canadian authorities have taken down over 300 servers worldwide and issued international arrest warrants against 20 suspects in a crackdown on malware, EU agency for criminal justice cooperation Eurojust said in a statement, the latest phase in Operation Endgame.
By the numbers
German, French, Dutch, Danish, British, American and Canadian authorities joined forces this week against the world's most dangerous malware variants and the perpetrators behind them.
More than three dozen suspects were identified and 20 individuals criminally charged. Over 300 servers worldwide were taken down, 650 domains were neutralised and 3.5 million euros in cryptocurrency were seized. The actions follow efforts in May 2024, which had been the largest-ever operation against botnets. In total, 21.2 million euros have been seized during the an operation started in 2024.
Context
The malware taken down this week is known as "initial access malware." It is used for initial infection, helping cybercriminals to enter victims' systems unnoticed and load more malware onto their devices, such as ransomware.
What's next Operation Endgame will continue with follow-up actions announced on the dedicated website from the international coalition. Several key suspects behind the malware operations are subject to international and public appeals. The German authorities will include eighteen of them on the EU Most Wanted list on Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
38 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Plane crash: DNA matching completed for 251 bodies, 24 handed over to families
Ahmedabad: DNA matching has been completed for 251 victims of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, with 245 bodies already handed over to their families as of Sunday, said Dr. Rakesh Joshi, superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Aviation personnel carry the coffin of plane crash victim Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, a cabin crew member of the Air India flight AI171, during her funeral ceremony at the international airport in Imphal on Sunday. (AFP) He confirmed that two of these bodies are scheduled to be handed over tonight and will subsequently be transported to the United Kingdom for final rites. Three families have scheduled for June 23 and one family will be handed over on June 25, he added. Dr. Joshi said that among the 245 deceased whose DNA matched successfully, 176 are Indian citizens, 7 Portuguese, 49 British citizens, one Canadian, and 12 non-passengers. The DNA profiling was necessitated as the impact of the crash left most victims unidentifiable. So far, the bodies of 20 non-passengers have been handed over to the families of the victims which include eight bodies, visually identifiable, that were handed over to their families last week, including four doctors, without the need for DNA matching. The crash occurred on June 12 when a London-bound Air India Dreamliner aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew members onboard. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, emerged as the lone survivor, defying the odds in one of India's deadliest aviation disasters. The impact devastated a nearby medical college residential block, claiming several lives on the ground. At least 30 non-passengers have died due to the crash. Dr. Joshi provided a detailed breakdown of the 245 bodies handed over to families across multiple regions and states. A total of 175 bodies were handed over to families in Gujarat, with Ahmedabad receiving 70, followed by Anand (26) and Vadodara (24). Other Gujarat locations include Surat (12), Kheda (11), Bharuch (7), Gandhinagar (7), Mehsana (7), Gir Somnath (5), Rajkot (3), Patan (3), Dwarka (2), Jamnagar (2), Khambhat (2), Amreli (2), Aravalli (2), and one each from Junagadh, Mahisagar, Bhavnagar, Botad, Palanpur, Nadiad, Sabarkantha, and Modasa. Outside Gujarat, 34 bodies were handed over across other Indian states. Maharashtra received 12 bodies (including 10 in Mumbai), Rajasthan 3 (including 1 in Jodhpur), and one each from Patna, Pune, Nagaland, and Manipur. Additionally, 14 bodies were handed over in Diu, the Union Territory. Ten bodies were sent to London, while 12 non-passenger casualties were also included in the total count. Lawrence Danielbhai Christian, a member of CNI Church Maninagar who died in the plane crash, was laid to rest on Sunday, according to a person close to the family. His funeral service was held at 12 noon in the Ramol area of Ahmedabad. The 30-year-old had come to India to bury his father, but two weeks later, the family was mourning another tragic loss.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
US on alert: Heightened threat monitoring across states after strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
In the wake of US strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities, federal authorities and leaders across several major US cities and states have ramped up security measures and threat monitoring, citing concerns over possible retaliatory threats. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino affirmed the agency's readiness in a message posted on X, stating, 'Our assets are fully engaged. We remain vigilant. God bless America, and all those who defend Her.' Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed the commitment, saying, 'We will work unceasingly to protect the American homeland.' Local law enforcement agencies and municipal leaders from New York to Los Angeles have responded swiftly to the growing geopolitical tensions. In New York City, officials have deployed additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic locations. 'We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources... and coordinating with our federal partners,' the New York Police Department said in a statement. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the LAPD is increasing patrols near places of worship and other sensitive areas. 'We will remain vigilant in protecting our communities,' she said. Washington, DC, is also taking steps to protect its residents. The Metropolitan Police Department has increased its presence at religious institutions, with Mayor Muriel Bowser urging public awareness. 'Together, we are monitoring intelligence and, as always, ask everyone to stay vigilant.' Beyond the nation's largest cities, states including New Jersey, Texas, and Illinois have also issued alerts and are stepping up surveillance. Authorities continue to coordinate with federal partners to assess potential threats in real time, reinforcing the nation's defensive posture in response to evolving global developments. In a bold and unprecedented move, the United States has directly joined Israel's ongoing military campaign against Iran, launching coordinated strikes on three of Iran's key nuclear facilities — Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan — early Sunday morning. The strikes, carried out under 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' involved US B-2 stealth bombers, submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles, and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs aimed at fortified underground sites. Pentagon officials confirmed the mission met no Iranian resistance and inflicted 'extremely severe damage.' 'We devastated the Iranian nuclear program,' said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Pentagon briefing. 'The operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.' 'Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,' Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran... All planes are now outside of Iran air space,' Trump said, later declaring: 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR.' He warned Tehran of further consequences if it retaliates, stating, 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran.' Despite asserting that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear bomb, Trump defended the operation as a necessary step to prevent the country from acquiring one in the future. Iran swiftly condemned the strikes. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed the attacks on its nuclear sites but maintained its program would continue. Iran's Foreign Ministry accused the US of launching 'a dangerous war' and betraying diplomacy. 'The U.S. has itself launched a dangerous war against Iran,' the ministry said in a statement. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added: 'The warmongering, a lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences... The time for diplomacy has passed.' Hours after the American strikes, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched 40 missiles, including its advanced Khorramshahr-4, at Israeli targets. The Israeli military reported that over 80 civilians were injured, mostly lightly, and a high-rise building in Tel Aviv was heavily damaged. 'Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities... will change history,' he said in a message directed at Trump. 'The U.S. has done what no other country on earth could do.'
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
'She-Hulk' Amy Muscle, husband found dead: The ROID rage theory in the double tragedy
Image credits: Instagram/amymuscle_ifbbpro Z unilda Hoyos Mendez, popularly known as Amy Muscle was a Colombian bodybuilding athlete who was recently found dead at her luxury residence in Spain's Costa del Sol on Thursday. The 43-year-old champion was found beaten to death with a hammer alongside her 46-year-old husband who had self-inflicted wounds. Her husband Jarrod Gelling's body was found in a bathroom. Zunilda had been missing since Saturday, after flying to the Costa del Sol from Dubai where she had been living for much of the time with her husband, a Colombian-American. While less is known about Gelling, he was reportedly recovering from a knee injury and had accompanied Zunilda on her trip. While an autopsy of Mendez is underway, the police believe that she died from repeated blows to the head. According to the family of the bodybuilder dubbed as 'She Hulk', Amy had been enduring abuse from her husband for the past year and was planning to divorce him. Her niece Yuleydis told a Malaga-based newspaper Sur, that her aunt was going to help Gelling following a knee operation before travelling to Portugal to compete and going back to Colombia alone after the divorce. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025: Steel Suppliers From Mexico At Lowest Prices (Take A Look) Steel Suppliers | search ads Search Now Undo "For my aunt, it was the last trip, a goodbye. She had taken the decision to split from her husband because of his aggressive behaviour. They had broken up already once and were apart for quite a while but then got back together again to try to resolve things, although the mistreatment continued," revealed the niece. According to a statement given by a National Police spokesman in Malaga, Amy's body showed "obvious signs of violence and that of the man's signs indicating a suicide-type death which is something an autopsy will have to confirm." The suspected killer is believed to have Colombian and US nationality. Was Amy Muscle's murder a case of ROID rage ? Image credits: X/@Altosnoticiasp1 While the investigations continue, according to the statements of Amy's family and her niece, it seems the couple who had been married for four years were having some marital troubles. Amy and her husband both were bodybuilders, but she was an acclaimed bodybuilding champion who had several titles under her belt. Additionally, she was also an online fitness influencer with over 100,000 subscribers on various platforms. The Spanish police suspect Gelling who had the same nationality as the suspect to be the one who killed the fitness champion before taking his own life. The entire incident could be defined as a cause of ROID rage. ROID rage is a term that is used to describe anger and aggressive behaviour associated with anabolic steroid use. Steroid use is common in bodybuilders and weightlifters who need to bulk up their mass and while it may effectively help them it also puts them at the risk of negative psychiatric symptoms. The term "roid" in roid rage is an abbreviation of the word steroid and is used to symbolise the rage caused by steroid consumption. The steroids in this case are anabolic-androgenic steroids that help enhance athletic performance and improve lean muscles. A study published in the National Library of Medicine stated that the use of AAS leads to various symptoms such as irritability and unprovoked aggression sometimes referred to as "roid rage" Another study revealed that males who had used AAS at least once in their lives reported greater involvement in violent behaviour. The results of the study also revealed that steroid usage is linked with heightened levels of violent behaviours. Considering the way Amy was murdered with a hammer, her body having signs of abuse, her family reporting her husband's abuse, and the police suspecting her husband to be the killer, the entire incident could be studied with the angle of ROID rage. However, there's no official confirmation on this.
