FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

CNN — The FBI and European law enforcement agencies dismantled a massive network of hacked computers that had been used to defraud victims of hundreds of millions of dollars, agencies announced Tuesday.

The Justice Department seized over $8 million in cryptocurrency from the hackers and removed their malicious code from an unspecified number of infected computers in the US and around the world, according to the announcement, which said around 200,000 were infected in the US and 700,000 globally.

It’s a blow to a hacking tool known as Qakbot that Russian-speaking ransomware gangs had used to cause “significant harm” to health care providers and government agencies around the world, the Justice Department said. The department said law enforcement agencies in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom helped with the takedown. The State Department also announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on the people behind the malicious software.

It’s the latest step in a more aggressive effort by the FBI in the last few years to target popular hacking tools that allow cybercriminals to fleece Americans out of millions of dollars. The goal is to use every possible legal authority to make business harder for cybercriminals who are still regularly disrupting American companies and local governments.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/29/politics/fbi-dismantled-network-hacked-computers/index.html

[Oopsie Daisy]

1. But the GOP still wants to defund and eliminate the FBI. 🙄

[housecat]

5. well of course -- they want to continue their crime spree

[Lonestarblue]

6. That's because it's Republicans who benefit when there's no FBI around.

[tanyev]

9. Maybe they're trying to protect Russian-speaking ransomware gangs.

[Oopsie Daisy]

10. That's a possibility.

I wouldn't doubt it.

[FakeNoose]

2. Thank you FBI and Interpol on a job well done!

[Auggie]

3. Yay!

[orangecrush]

4. Good news

[yardwork]

7. Good!

[Pinback]

8. Outstanding.

Some pretty smart people working on this:
https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/29/fbi-operation-qakbot-uninstall/

[CousinIT]

11. This is the same FBI that MAGA, Matty Gaetz and Gym Jordan want to defund and shut down...

...along with the Dept of Justice.

"defund the police!", they're screeching, now that the police have caught up with lifelong criminal cult leader Donald Trump and are attempting to hold him to account for his crimes while in the White House.

[E. Normus]

12. Sounds great

Of course, GOP lawmakers will have to try to put a stop to it, and spin it, so it doesn't make Biden look good.

[Bayard]

13. Good job!

Only the pond scum rethugs would disagree.