Last Updated on 22/11/2021 by Sanskriti
Following a request from South Korean officials, the law enforcement agency sent red notices, which are worldwide wanted person alerts, to its 194 member nations.
In a 30-month investigation into a “global malware crime network,” Interpol has issued two “red notice” advisories. Six Ukrainian law enforcement officers were detained and 21 searches on suspects’ houses were carried out in Kyiv and elsewhere in June.
It stems from a significant arrest in Ukraine in June when six persons were jailed for allegedly being part of the “notorious ransomware family” known as “Clop.”
During the part of the operation, 5 million Ukrainian hryvnias (+$180K) in cash, computers, smartphones, and server equipment were seized, and several cars, including Mercedes, Lexus models, and Tesla was seized by the officials.
A screenshot from the video
Since February 2019, the Clop ransomware gang has been operating, targeting colleges, a variety of businesses. Clop operators, like other ransomware gangs, adopted a double-extortion approach, disclosing data acquired from victims who refused to pay the ransom on their leak sites.
Law enforcement agencies also released similar Red Alerts for fugitives wanted for prosecution or to fulfill a sentence, according to a news statement released by Interpol.
“Two Red Notices, which are internationally wanted person alerts, have been circulated to INTERPOL’s 194 member countries following a request by Korea’s cybercrime investigation division via INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Seoul. The Notices follow the Ukraine arrest of six members of a notorious ransomware family during a global operation coordinated by INTERPOL with Korean, Ukrainian, and US law enforcement authorities in June.” reads the press release published by Interpol. “The global strike – codenamed Operation Cyclone – follows global police investigations into attacks against Korean companies and US academic institutions by the Cl0p ransomware threat group. Cl0p malware operators in Ukraine allegedly attacked private and business targets in Korea and the US by blocking access to their computer files and networks, and then demanded extortionate ransoms for restoring access.“
The overall damage inflicted by the surpasses $ 500 million, according to the authorities. Members of the ransomware group who have been apprehended face up to eight years in jail.
“Despite spiraling global ransomware attacks, this police-private sector coalition saw one of global law enforcement’s first online criminal gang arrests, which sends a powerful message to ransomware criminals, that no matter where they hide in cyberspace, we will pursue them relentlessly,” INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime Craig Jones said.
