The Cyber Police of Ukraine has apprehended three suspects suspected of infiltrating more than 100 million email and Instagram accounts globally. These individuals, aged between 20 and 40, allegedly operated as part of an organized criminal group dispersed across different regions of Ukraine. If found guilty, they could face up to 15 years in prison for their involvement in the cybercrime activities.
The group utilized brute-force attacks to gain unauthorized access to the accounts, exploiting trial-and-error methods to guess login credentials. Under the direction of a leader, they coordinated various hacking tasks among the members. Subsequently, the stolen credentials were sold on dark web forums, where other malicious actors purchased them to execute fraudulent schemes, including soliciting funds from victims’ contacts under false pretenses.
To safeguard against such hacking attempts, the Cyber Police recommended implementing two-factor authentication and employing robust password practices. As part of the operation, authorities conducted searches across multiple Ukrainian cities, seizing numerous electronic devices, bank cards, and cash exceeding $3,000. Meanwhile, in a separate case in the United States, an individual pleaded guilty to breaching numerous entities and extorting sensitive data from over 132,000 individuals, with sentencing scheduled for June 18, 2024.
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