Ukrainian police have announced that they have arrested 51 individuals suspected of stealing and selling the data of over 300 million Americans and Europeans to threat actors.
The police operation, dubbed “DATA,” also seized nearly 100 databases containing private details and shut down one of the largest underground forums (the name of which has not been revealed) where hackers can buy and sell stolen personal details. Additionally, Ukrainian police have released footage of the attack on the suspect's hideout.
The stolen database contained information on the financial activities of individuals, financial information of users, and banking institutions alongside login credentials for emails, social media networks, and e-commerce platforms.
According to the Cyberpolice Department of the National Police of Ukraine, nearly 90,000 gigabytes of data had been removed from the internet as a result of the 177 searches that made up the operation.
The suspects were in possession “of personal data of citizens, confidential information on financial and economic activities of individuals and legal entities, information about customers of banking and commercial institutions, data for authorization on e-mails, social networks, online stores and more,” Ukrainian police said in a press release.
Ukraine is tightening its crackdown on cybercriminals, arresting hackers and collaborators in October 2021 who have caused more than $150 million in damage to foreign companies. The same month, Ukrainian police seized $375,000 in cash and two “luxury vehicles” worth €217,000, as well as 1.3 million in cryptocurrencies being frozen.
Earlier in November, Ukraine's Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) arrested five suspects in Kyiv and Kharkiv, believed to be members of the international 'Phoenix' hacking group specializing in remote hacking of mobile devices.
With these sorts of cases coming up all the time. it’s vital that security tools like password managers are used to ensure personal information can’t be exfiltrated from your accounts.
"The state course on digitalization has forced all government agencies to significantly strengthen measures to the cybersecurity of their systems and the preservation of personal data, which has had a qualitative impact on their security,” said Serhiy Lypka, Head of the Department for Combating Crimes in the Field of Computer Systems.