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| GozNym cyber-crime gang which stole millions busted | GozNym cyber-crime gang which stole millions busted |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| An international crime gang which used malware to steal $100m (£77m) from more than 40,000 victims has been dismantled. | An international crime gang which used malware to steal $100m (£77m) from more than 40,000 victims has been dismantled. |
| A complex police operation conducted investigations in the US, Bulgaria, Germany, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. | |
| The gang infected computers with GozNym malware, which captured online banking details to access bank accounts. | The gang infected computers with GozNym malware, which captured online banking details to access bank accounts. |
| The gang was put together from criminals who advertised their skills on online forums. | The gang was put together from criminals who advertised their skills on online forums. |
| The details of the operation were revealed at the headquarters of the European police agency Europol in The Hague. | The details of the operation were revealed at the headquarters of the European police agency Europol in The Hague. |
| It said that the investigation was unprecedented, especially in terms of cross-border co-operation. | It said that the investigation was unprecedented, especially in terms of cross-border co-operation. |
| Cyber-crime service | Cyber-crime service |
| Ten members of the network have been charged in Pittsburgh, US on a range of offences, including stealing money and laundering those funds using US and foreign bank accounts. | Ten members of the network have been charged in Pittsburgh, US on a range of offences, including stealing money and laundering those funds using US and foreign bank accounts. |
| Five Russian nationals remain on the run, including one who developed the GozNym malware and oversaw its development and management, including leasing it to other cyber-criminals. | Five Russian nationals remain on the run, including one who developed the GozNym malware and oversaw its development and management, including leasing it to other cyber-criminals. |
| Various other gang members now face prosecution in other countries, including: | Various other gang members now face prosecution in other countries, including: |
| Among the victims were small businesses, law firms, international corporations and non-profit organisations. | |
| One of the things that the operation has highlighted is how common the selling of nefarious cyber-skills has become, says Prof Alan Woodward, a computer scientist from University of Surrey. | One of the things that the operation has highlighted is how common the selling of nefarious cyber-skills has become, says Prof Alan Woodward, a computer scientist from University of Surrey. |
| "The developers of this malware advertised their 'product' so that other criminals could use their service to conduct banking fraud. | "The developers of this malware advertised their 'product' so that other criminals could use their service to conduct banking fraud. |
| "What is known as 'crime as a service' has been a growing feature in recent years, allowing organised crime gangs to switch from their traditional haunts of drugs to much more lucrative cyber-crime." | "What is known as 'crime as a service' has been a growing feature in recent years, allowing organised crime gangs to switch from their traditional haunts of drugs to much more lucrative cyber-crime." |
| What is GozNym? | What is GozNym? |
| It is a hybrid of two other pieces of malware, Nymaim and Gozi. | It is a hybrid of two other pieces of malware, Nymaim and Gozi. |
| The first of these is what is known as a "dropper", software that is designed to sneak other malware on to a device and install it. Up until 2015, Nymaim was used primarily to get ransomware on to devices. | The first of these is what is known as a "dropper", software that is designed to sneak other malware on to a device and install it. Up until 2015, Nymaim was used primarily to get ransomware on to devices. |
| Gozi has been around since 2007. Over the years it has resurfaced with new techniques, all aimed at stealing financial information. It was used in concerted attacks on US banks. | Gozi has been around since 2007. Over the years it has resurfaced with new techniques, all aimed at stealing financial information. It was used in concerted attacks on US banks. |
| Combining the two created what one expert called a "double-headed monster". | Combining the two created what one expert called a "double-headed monster". |