Europol and ENISA, in collaboration with private security firms, led a joint law enforcement operation targeting digital skimming, uncovering 443 compromised online shops. Digital skimming involves criminals harvesting payment information during website checkout, exploiting vulnerabilities in e-commerce platforms and content management systems (CMSs) to inject skimming scripts. Attackers may also exploit weaknesses in third-party plugins and themes.
The operation, aligned with the EMPACT priority focusing on combating online fraud, aimed to inform affected e-commerce platforms and merchants unintentionally compromised by stolen payment data. Europol, working with national Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) and industry partners, notified impacted online merchants and provided technical support to resolve issues and enhance future customer protection. The collaboration allowed the identification of 23 families of JS-sniffers, including ATMZOW, health_check, FirstKiss, FakeGA, AngryBeaver, Inter, and R3nin.
These families represent distinct digital skimming techniques used by cybercriminals to compromise online shops. The operation’s proactive approach not only addresses ongoing compromises but also seeks to fortify cybersecurity measures to prevent future incidents. By involving national law enforcement authorities, CSIRTs, and private industry partners, Europol demonstrates a collective effort to mitigate the impact of digital skimming on online merchants and their customers. This operation underscores the importance of cross-sector collaboration in tackling cyber threats and enhancing the overall resilience of digital ecosystems against sophisticated cybercriminal tactics.
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