6 months Ago
The Malicious Network and Financial Gains
The Anyproxy service allowed criminals to conceal their identities while committing cybercrimes. Through the use of malware known as TheMoon, these routers were hijacked to create a botnet that could be controlled remotely, making it difficult for authorities to trace the activities. The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed indictments against four men linked to the operation, which is said to have earned them over 46 million dollars by selling access to the compromised routers. The accused include Russian nationals Alexey Chertkov (37), Kirill Morozov (41), Aleksandr Shishkin (36), and Kazakhstani Dmitriy Rubtsov (38). They face charges related to computer crimes and intentionally damaging protected systems.
The Scope of the Attack and Ongoing Investigations
The investigation revealed that more than 6,000 IP addresses, many from the United States, were exploited by the Anyproxy network. The malware, which has been active since 2014, primarily targeted routers with remote administration capabilities, which had become outdated and lacked proper security updates. Dutch authorities emphasized that while proxy services are legal, they are often misused for criminal purposes such as fraud and cyberattacks. Infected routers often exhibited issues like overheating, unexplained changes in settings, and loss of internet connection.
The FBI, along with law enforcement agencies from several countries, played a critical role in identifying the infected routers and seizing domains linked to the operation. The operation also garnered support from Royal Thai Police and cybersecurity company Lumen Technologies, which helped uncover the full scale of the botnet.
The Dutch authorities have expressed concerns over the country's vulnerability to cybercrime, citing Amsterdam's role as a global internet hub. The city is home to over 60 data centres, and local authorities are calling for stricter regulations, such as mandatory identity verification for digital service providers and a ban on anonymous cryptocurrency payments.
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