A joint international operation by law enforcement agencies from Europe and North America has dismantled a pro-Russian cybercrime network linked to a series of denial-of-service attacks targeting Ukraine and its allies. The operation, codenamed “Eastwood,” targeted the NoName057(16) group, which was responsible for attacks in several countries including Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and others.
The operation involved simultaneous actions against offenders and infrastructure belonging to the cybercrime network, resulting in the disruption of an attack-infrastructure consisting of over 100 computer systems worldwide. A major part of the group’s central server infrastructure was also taken offline.
Judicial authorities from France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United States issued arrest warrants for suspects in Russia, including two accused of being main leaders of the group. Suspects were placed under arrest or detention in several countries, with communications equipment seized.
The group, which is alleged to have targeted over 200 Swiss websites, was initially focused on Ukrainian institutions but has shifted its focus to attacking countries that support Ukraine. Europol said individuals involved in the group were mainly Russian-speaking sympathisers who used automated tools and were motivated by ideology and rewards.
Law enforcement authorities contacted hundreds of people believed to support the group to inform them of the crackdown and their alleged liability for its actions. The operation highlighted the use of gamified manipulation, often targeted at younger offenders, which was emotionally reinforced by a narrative of defending Russia or avenging political events.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/europol-hackers-cybercrime-russia-ukraine-42d98dabdc0182dac4bd4c80d880cdb4