Kaspersky Aids INTERPOL, Disrupting Global Cybercrime

Kaspersky has played a vital role in combating transnational cybercrime through its active participation in Operation Synergia, a collaborative initiative involving INTERPOL and its Gateway project partners. This endeavor aims to foster joint efforts between national law enforcement and private sector organizations to combat evolving cyberthreats effectively. Operation Synergia, spanning over 50 INTERPOL member states, concentrated on disrupting malicious infrastructure associated with phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks.

Throughout the three-month operation (September-November 2023), INTERPOL orchestrated the exchange of cyber intelligence among law enforcement agencies from member states and private partners, resulting in the generation of over 60 Cyber Activity Reports. Kaspersky contributed by sharing data on globally identified malicious infrastructure, leveraging threat data from Kaspersky Threat Intelligence continuously updated by the company’s expert team.

The joint effort successfully identified 1,300 suspicious servers related to various cybercrimes. Consequently, actions were taken against 70% of these malicious servers, leading to the apprehension of suspected perpetrators across multiple states.

Key highlights of Operation Synergia include

• Detention of 31 individuals and identification of 70 additional suspects.
• Majority of the taken-down C2 servers located in Europe, with 26 arrests.
• Hong Kong and Singapore Police dismantled 153 and 86 servers, respectively.
• South Sudan and Zimbabwe reported the highest number of takedowns in Africa, leading to the arrest of four suspects.
• Bolivia mobilized public authorities to identify malware and vulnerabilities.
• Kuwait collaborated closely with internet service providers to identify victims, conduct field investigations, and provide technical guidance to mitigate impacts.

Bernardo Pillot, Assistant Director to INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate, emphasized the collective success of the operation, underscoring the commitment to safeguarding the digital space. Yuliya Shlychkova, Vice-President of Public Affairs at Kaspersky, highlighted the company’s active role in INTERPOL’s operations and the complementary partnership that strengthens global security efforts. Shlychkova emphasized that while Kaspersky contributes data, knowledge, and technologies, INTERPOL, with its legal authority and resources, plays a crucial role in investigating and prosecuting cybercriminals, promoting a more comprehensive and holistic response to cybercrime. This partnership aims to enhance overall security, enabling timely reactions and proactive measures to protect individuals, businesses, and society at large.