Do you ever feel like you never hear about criminals being held accountable for ransomware attacks? They do for me as well. Therefore, this news is so uplifting: Interpol and global police forces have fought back and won big against these criminals.
This is definitely not typical news; it is a definite victory!
Below are the details of their accomplishments:
Cracking the encryption used in ransomware severely limits the extent of their usefulness to a criminal organisation and demonstrates to cybercriminals that they have real consequences for their actions.
It begs the question — Why shouldn’t many more cybercrime cases be prosecuted in a similar manner?
What Happened?
Interpol partnered with police forces worldwide to investigate and combat ransomware groups. As a result of their partnership, Interpol has unlocked six different ransomware types encryptions, arrested hundreds of parties engaged in cybercrime, and much more.This is definitely not typical news; it is a definite victory!
What Did They Actually Do?
They didn't just prevent ransomware attacks. They assisted the victims of ransomware attacks. They provided victims with free tools so they could recover their files without having to pay a ransom to the criminal.Below are the details of their accomplishments:
- They unlocked files from six different ransomware families.
- They arrested many suspects.
- They seized multiple computers, servers, and cryptocurrency wallets.
- They helped victims recover their lost files.
Why Is This Important
I know of one company that had to shut down because of ransomware attacks. This hurt many people. Interpol didn’t just provide warnings to criminals, they actually stopped them.Cracking the encryption used in ransomware severely limits the extent of their usefulness to a criminal organisation and demonstrates to cybercriminals that they have real consequences for their actions.
Global Teamwork Created This Success
Law enforcement agencies from a variety of regions worked together. This is important, as many ransomware gangs are global in nature and operate in numerous jurisdictions. By sharing information, countries limit opportunities for criminals to escape justice.It begs the question — Why shouldn’t many more cybercrime cases be prosecuted in a similar manner?
