FBI, European partners take down Qakbot malware network
Aug 30, 2023
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Ian Kennedy (Editor), Ben Burke (Digital Producer)
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US says it and partners have taken down notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
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FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
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FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
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FBI shuts down Qakbot malware network that took millions in ransom
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US says it and partners have taken down notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
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FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
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US says it has disrupted notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
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The Justice Department announced the FBI and its European partners took down a major global malware network known as Qakbot. According to a statement from Attorney General Merrick Garland, the department “hacked Qakbot’s infrastructure, launched an aggressive campaign to uninstall the malware from victim computers in the United States and around the world, and seized $8.6 million in extorted funds.” Countries involved in the multinational effort to take down the network includes:
- France
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- The United Kingdom
- Romania
- Latvia
“We’ve seized 52 servers in the United States and abroad. By seizing these servers, we’re preventing Qakbot from resurrecting to cause further additional harm,” U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said on Tuesday, Aug. 29. “Through this operation, we’ve recovered from the Qakbot criminal organization over 6.5 million credentials, victim credentials. Now, these victim credentials are things such as email logins and passwords, very sensitive information that these victims may have no idea were stolen from them.”
According to Estrada, the malware network had facilitated about 40 ransomware attacks alone over 18 months, netting Qakbot administrators about $58 million. Victims included an Illinois-based engineering firm, financial services organizations in Alabama and Kansas, along with a Maryland defense manufacturer and a Southern California food distribution company.
“Qakbot was the botnet of choice for some of the most infamous ransomware gangs,” Estrada said.
No arrests were announced in relation to the FBI’s takedown of the Qakbot malware network. Estrada would not say where administrators of the malware were located.
Cybersecurity researchers have said these administrators are believed to be in Russia and/or other former Soviet states. Estrada said the investigation was ongoing.
“Cybercriminals who rely on malware like Qakbot to steal private data from innocent victims have been reminded today that they do not operate outside the bounds of the law,” Garland said in his Tuesday statement.
“We’re here today to announce the most significant technological and financial operation ever led by the Department of Justice against a botnet. The botnet in question is one of the most notorious and pernicious botnets in the world. It’s known as Qakbot.”
U.S. ATTORNEY MARTIN ESTRADA SPEAKING YESTERDAY ON THE FBI’S OPERATION TO DISRUPT A MAJOR GLOBAL MALWARE NETWORK THAT HAS BEEN USED FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS TO COMMIT ONLINE CRIMES — INCLUDING RANSOMWARE ATTACKS.
ESTRADA SAYS NEARLY EVERY SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED BY QUAKBOT – WITH MORE THAN 700,000 INFECTED COMPUTERS IDENTIFIED BY THE FBI AND ITS EUROPEAN PARTNERS.
OFFICIALS SAY 8 POINT 6 MILLION DOLLARS IN CYBER-CURRENCY WAS SEIZED OR FROZEN AS PART OF THE OPERATION BUT NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
THE LOCATION OF THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE MALWARE WAS NOT DISCLOSED.
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Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
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FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on Associated Press News
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on abc News
FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
Click to see story on CNN
FBI says it dismantled a botnet that hacked hundreds of thousands of computers
Click to see story on The Washington Post
International ransomware network that victimized over 200,000 American computers this year taken down, FBI announces
Click to see story on CBS News
FBI Dismantles a Malware System That Took Millions in Ransom
Click to see story on Bloomberg
Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
Click to see story on abc 6 Philadelphia
Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
Click to see story on abc 13 Houston
Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
Click to see story on abc 7 News
Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
Click to see story on abc11 Raleigh
Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
Click to see story on abc30 News
FBI, European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on Japan Today
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on Coast Reporter
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on Flin Flon Reminder
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on NBC Boston
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain Outlook
The cyberhacking network Qakbot dismantled by the United States with the cooperation of several countries
Click to see story on Le Monde
Headline Unavailable
Click to see story on Axios
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime – West Hawaii Today
Click to see story on West Hawaii Today
FBI, European partners seize major malware network
Click to see story on The Garden Island
Click to close
US says it and partners have taken down notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
Click to see story on Reuters
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on CTV News
FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
Click to see story on KRDO
FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
Click to see story on KIFI
FBI shuts down Qakbot malware network that took millions in ransom
Click to see story on South China Morning Post
US says it and partners have taken down notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
Click to see story on Channel News Asia
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on KVIA
How the FBI and European partners seized notorious ‘Qakbot’ cybercrime hacking network
Click to see story on Sky News UK
FBI-Led Operation Dismantles Notorious Qakbot Malware
Click to see story on VOA News
Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
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Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
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Major ransomware network dismantled, malicious software removed, FBI officials say
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FBI and European partners seize major malware network
Click to see story on Spectrum News
FBI Dismantles Global Network of Hacked Computers
Click to see story on Political Wire
FBI operation tricked thousands of computers infected by Qakbot into uninstalling the malware
Click to see story on TechCrunch
FBI Dismantles Global Malware Network Qakbot Used For Ransomware Attacks
Click to see story on Forbes
US says it has disrupted notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
Click to see story on WTVB
Largest global network of hijacked computer systems deactivated
Click to see story on Algemeen Dagblad
FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
Click to see story on East Idaho News
US Shuts Down Criminal Malware Network Qakbot: Justice Dept
Click to see story on Barron's
FBI shuts down Qakbot malware tied to ransomware, financial fraud
Click to see story on Roll Call
FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
Click to see story on waaytv.com
FBI-led ‘Operation Duck Hunt’ takes down Qakbot
Click to see story on theregister.com
Qakbot botnet dismantled after infecting over 700,000 computers
Click to see story on BleepingComputer
FBI Dismantles a Malware System That Took Millions in Ransom
Click to see story on slashdot.org
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on castanet.net
FBI, European partners take down Qakbot malware network
Click to see story on san.com
Click to close
US says it has disrupted notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
Click to see story on The Straits Times
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on MY Northwest
US, partners say they have disrupted ‘Qakbot’ network
Click to see story on The West Australian
Dismantling by the United States of the Qakbot cyberhacking network
Click to see story on Le Figaro
Global network of hijacked computers deactivated
Click to see story on Het Laatste Nieuws
US says it and partners have taken down notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network
Click to see story on Shore News Network
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
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Untracked Bias
Notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network ‘dismantled’ -US
Click to see story on Gold Coast Bulletin
Notorious ‘Qakbot’ hacking network ‘dismantled’ -US
Click to see story on The Mercury
Global network of hijacked computers deactivated
Click to see story on Het Nieuwsblad
US announces dismantling of Qakbot hacking network
Click to see story on Noticias ao Minuto
US, partners say they have disrupted ‘Qakbot’ network
Click to see story on PerthNow
Global network of hacked computers deactivated by OM and FBI
Click to see story on NU
US announces dismantling of Qakbot hacking network
Click to see story on TSF Rádio Notícias
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on My Mother Lode
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime
Click to see story on Airdrie City View
The FBI led an effort to dismantle the Qakbot botnet, which ransomware gangs used as an infection vector for years, on August 25 after infiltrating its network
Click to see story on techmeme.com
FBI, European partners seize major malware network
Click to see story on Antelope Valley Press
FBI and European partners seize major malware network in blow to global cybercrime – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on communityq.com
Global network of hijacked computers deactivated
Click to see story on De Limburger
Global network of hijacked computers deactivated by FBI and Dutch police
Click to see story on trouw.nl
Click to close
69 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
69
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20
Center
27
Leaning Right
8
Last Updated
9 months ago
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