Worldwide police operation shuts down huge cybercrime site in Operation Cookie Monster

The Hague, Netherlands: According to international law enforcement, a worldwide police operation has shut down one of the world’s largest internet marketplaces where hackers may buy stolen identities and passwords. According to regulators in various countries, Genesis Market sold the names of over two million people for as little as $0.70, allowing hackers to target bank accounts and commit online fraud. The massive operation, nicknamed “Operation Cookie Monster,” was led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Dutch authorities and encompassed 17 nations. According to the US Treasury, the website was situated in Russia, and it had been sanctioned by Genesis Market. Europol said the “unprecedented law enforcement operation” had taken down “one of the most dangerous marketplaces selling stolen account credentials to hackers worldwide.” “Genesis Market listed for sale the identities of over two million people when it was shut down,” the EU’s policing agency said. Criminals were prosecuted in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and more than ten European nations. According to the National Crime Agency, 24 persons were detained in the United Kingdom. In the Netherlands, 17 more persons were apprehended. ‘Most dangerous’ People trying to access Genesis Market on Wednesday saw a screen saying, “This website has been seized” and “Operation Cookie Monster”, along with a picture of a person in an FBI hoodie in front of a computer. A cookie is a piece of computer data that makes it easier to reopen web pages. Europol said the site offered “bots” for sale that had infected victims’ devices through malware or other methods. “Upon purchase of such a bot, criminals would get access to all the data harvested by it such as fingerprints, cookies, saved logins and autofill form data,” it said. The information was collected in real-time so buyers would be notified of any change of passwords. Prices for bots ranged from as little as $0.70 to several hundred dollars in the case of valuable bank account information, Europol said. Unlike so-called “dark web” services, Genesis was available on the open web “although obscured from law enforcement behind an invitation-only veil”, the agency said. “Its accessibility and cheap prices greatly lowered the barrier of entry for buyers, making it a popular resource among hackers.” ‘Invitation only’ Dutch police said Genesis not only sold account information, but also copies of people’s online “fingerprints”, or unique digital information, allowing hackers to take over the victim’s life, he said. “The Genesis criminal trading market… was one of the most dangerous,” added Ruben van Well, Dutch police cyber team leader based in Rotterdam. “For example, it was possible to order and pay for things in webshops in the name of victims or, in certain cases, even to plunder entire bank, crypto or investment accounts,” Van Well said. He gave the example of a 71-year-old man who lost almost 70,000 euros from his investment account, with items ordered from webshops in his name. “The victim told us he felt like treading water in a massive swimming pool with no idea how to get out,” Van Well said. The site had a worldwide reach, said the EU’s judicial agency, Eurojust, which is also based in The Hague. “Genesis Market customers were located all over the world and actively purchasing stolen packages of victim data until this takedown,” it said. The US Treasury Department in a statement said Genesis is believed to be located in Russia. “This action was coordinated with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and international partners from a dozen countries,” it said. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.