Users of Remote Access Trojans arrested in Europe

Posted on 21 November 2014. Europol and several law enforcement and judicial authorities carried out an action against EU citizens, mainly teenagers and young adults, who are suspected of using remote access trojans (RATs) to commit cybercrime. The action and house searches resulted in the arrest of 15 individuals in several European countries.

The individuals arrested are suspected of misusing remote access trojans to commit various types of cybercrime, which can include theft of personal information, DDoS attacks and extortion. The operation, led by France, took place in the framework of EMPACT - the EU’s multi-annual policy cycle - working with Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) and the involved European authorities. EC3 supported seven countries in their efforts to identify individuals misusing these types of RATs, by hosting two operational coordination meetings, collating intelligence and providing analytical support.

An important aim of this European action is to inform the general public about the threat posed by this type of malware. Examples of some well-known RATs are Blackshades, Poisonivy, and DarkComet. Similar investigations and operations are to be expected next year. Full Article Another article from the BBC about it - Computer hijacking arrests in UK and across Europe