In a collaborative effort, Kaspersky has provided valuable threat intelligence data to support INTERPOL Africa Cyber Surge II operation. This partnership empowered investigators to pinpoint compromised infrastructure and apprehend suspected threat actors engaged in cybercriminal activities across various African countries. The operation’s success led to the arrest of 14 individuals involved and the identification of network structures tied to financial losses exceeding $40 million.
The Africa Cyber Surge initiative represents an ongoing, multi-party endeavor aimed at combating cybercrime and safeguarding communities in the African region. The initial phase of Africa Cyber Surge, also involving Kaspersky, took place from July to November 2022. This earlier effort encompassed a series of operational and investigative actions targeting the perpetrators of cybercrimes within Africa.
Africa Cyber Surge II, launched in April 2023 and spanning 25 African countries over four months, was executed by INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, under the auspices of INTERPOL Africa Cybercrime Operations desk and INTERPOL’s Support Programme for the African Union (ISPA) in collaboration with AFRIPOL. Support was also extended by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office, and the Council of Europe.
In conjunction with other private sector collaborators within INTERPOL, Kaspersky shared indicators of compromise (IoCs) with the international agency. These included details of malicious command and control servers, phishing domains and links, and scam-related IP addresses. This exchange facilitated streamlined cooperation between African law enforcement agencies, leading to investigations and disruptions targeting cybercriminals involved in activities like cyber extortion, phishing, business email compromise, and online scams.
Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General, remarked, “The Africa Cyber Surge II operation has not only bolstered cybercrime departments in member nations but also solidified partnerships with key stakeholders, such as computer emergency response teams and Internet Service Providers. This will further contribute to curtailing the global impact of cybercrime and safeguarding communities in the region.”
Yuliya Shlychkova, Public Affairs Director at Kaspersky, emphasized, “In its pursuit of creating a safer world, Kaspersky recognizes the significance of multilateral collaboration involving private sector entities, international law enforcement, and national authorities. Effective public-private partnerships can drive the strengthening of the cybersecurity industry in Africa, facilitating the realization of its potential while countering cybercrimes.”
Ambassador Jalel Chelba, Acting Executive Director of AFRIPOL, emphasized the urgency of coordinated efforts between public and private sectors to prevent the misuse of digital systems, Information Communication Technologies, and Artificial Intelligence by cybercriminals. He highlighted the necessity of operations like Cyber Surge to disrupt criminal networks and enhance protection at individual, organizational, and societal levels.
This collaborative data exchange between Kaspersky and INTERPOL is part of a five-year agreement signed in 2019. The agreement encompasses not only data sharing but also extends to human resources support and training for the law enforcement agency. Since its inception, Kaspersky and INTERPOL have maintained a positive momentum of joint operations focused on combating cybercrime and raising awareness about contemporary cyber risks.
