Law enforcement agencies from the US, UK, the Netherlands, and other countries have successfully shut down an illegal online marketplace known as Genesis Market. The operation, dubbed "Operation Cookie Monster," resulted in the seizure of the site and the arrest of 119 people linked to it, according to Europol.
The marketplace started in 2018 and offered access to sensitive information, including stolen passwords and bank account details, that had been stolen from more than 1.5 million compromised computers. The operation targeted both the site's administrators and its customers worldwide, and the total financial losses to victims were estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars. Cybercriminals were able to earn $8.7 million in cryptocurrency from selling stolen credentials.
The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on the market, which is believed to be based in Russia. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the operation was an unprecedented takedown of a major criminal marketplace that enabled cybercriminals to victimize individuals, businesses, and governments around the world. The action is the latest in a series of international efforts to disrupt cybercrime and catch alleged hackers.