In a coordinated international effort, authorities have conducted a significant crackdown on cybercrime, arresting two suspects, seizing online platforms used for narcotics trafficking, and executing DDoS attacks.
Two individuals, aged 19 and 28, from Darmstadt and the Rhein-Lahn district, were apprehended on charges related to operating illegal infrastructures on the Internet.
These platforms, “Flight RCS” and “Dstat.CC,” were allegedly used for the distribution of designer drugs and the facilitation of DDoS attacks. “Flight RCS,” accessible via the free internet, was known for selling synthetic cannabinoids, often leading to medical emergencies among young users.
Meanwhile, “Dstat.CC” provided a service list for launching DDoS attacks, making cyber sabotage accessible even to those without technical expertise.
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The operation, part of the international “Operation PowerOff,” involved searches at seven locations across Germany and international cooperation for seizures in France, Greece, Iceland, and the USA.
The IT infrastructures of these platforms were secured, providing a foundation for further investigations into the criminal sellers and users involved.
This crackdown continues efforts to dismantle the infrastructure supporting cybercrime. Earlier this year, 50 of the world’s biggest “booter” sites, responsible for millions of DDoS attacks, were taken down in what was known as “Operation Power Off.”
This previous operation saw law enforcement agencies from the US, UK, Netherlands, Poland, and Germany collaborate to seize control over these services, which had become a gateway for even children to launch disruptive attacks.
The FBI, alongside the Department of Justice, has been actively disrupting DDoS-for-hire services, seizing 13 domains associated with these operations.
This included sting operations where new accounts were created, and services were tested by launching attacks on controlled systems, confirming their disruptive capabilities.
The authorities’ actions underscore a growing international response to cyber threats, particularly those impacting election infrastructure.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI have highlighted the potential disruptions DDoS attacks could cause during the 2024 election cycle, although these attacks would not compromise the integrity of the voting process itself.
In 2024 alone, more than 8.5 million DDoS attacks were mitigated, reflecting a 20% year-over-year increase, indicating the escalating sophistication and volume of these threats.
This recent operation serves as a stern warning to cybercriminals that law enforcement agencies worldwide are increasingly capable of dismantling their operations and identifying those responsible.
This operation reinforces the message that anonymity is not guaranteed in the digital realm, and law enforcement agencies are equipped to combat cybercrime effectively, even across international borders.
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