With the ultimate goal of combatting cybercrime, Kaspersky has joined INTERPOL’s Operation Synergia II to disrupt cyber threats.
The global operation involved law enforcement and private companies from 95 countries that are members of INTERPOL. This effort led to the identification of over 100 suspects, and 41 people were arrested.
This current initiative follows Operation Synergia, which ran from September to November 2023. This operation focuses on disrupting harmful systems used in phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks.
Built on the successes of the previous edition, Operation Synergia II took place from April to August 2024 in Europe, Africa, and the APAC region. During this time, authorities identified around 30,000 suspicious IP addresses and servers linked to cyberthreats, and more than 75% of them were successfully shut down. Law enforcement also seized 59 servers and 43 electronic devices, including laptops, mobile phones, and hard disks that were used in cybercriminal activities. Kaspersky helped by providing information about harmful servers, malware, and infected devices that spread IoT malware in many countries. They also shared data about botnets with INTERPOL.
Other notable activities within the operation include:
- Hong Kong (China) – Police supported the operation by taking 1,037 servers linked to malicious services offline.
- Mongolia – Investigations included 21 house searches, the seizure of one server, and the identification of 93 individuals with links to illegal cyber activities.
- Macau (China) – Police took 291 servers offline.
- Madagascar – Authorities identified 11 individuals with links to malicious servers and seized 11 electronic devices for further investigation
- Estonia – Police seized more than 80GB of server data and authorities are now working with INTERPOL to conduct further analysis of data linked to phishing and banking malware.
“The global nature of cybercrime requires a global response which is evident by the support member countries provided to Operation Synergia II. Together, we’ve not only dismantled malicious infrastructure but also prevented hundreds of thousands of potential victims from falling prey to cybercrime. INTERPOL is proud to bring together a diverse team of member countries to fight this ever-evolving threat and make our world a safer place,” commented Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate.
Kaspersky has been an active contributor to INTERPOL’s operations. Recently, the company worked to address fraudulent schemes related to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
By collaborating with international law enforcement, Kaspersky keeps improving its cybersecurity solutions to protect against new cyber risks and support a safer digital future for everyone.
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