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Earlier this week, law enforcement agencies from 19 countries collaborated to dismantle LabHost, an online platform used by cybercriminals to sell phishing kits, which are tools for creating fake websites to steal personal information. Led by the Metropolitan Police in the U.K., the operation targeted LabHost, which had amassed around $1 million in payments from criminal users and had 2-thousand registered subscribers paying a monthly fee of $249.
During the operation, 37 suspects were arrested and over 70 locations were searched worldwide. Authorities uncovered significant amounts of stolen data, including 480-thousand bank card numbers, 64,000 PINs, and over a million passwords used for various online services. The European Union law enforcement agency Europol played a central role in coordinating the international effort, collaborating with agencies like the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI.
Europol says that among LabHost's illicit services was a phishing campaign management tool called LabRat that allowed cybercriminals to monitor and control phishing attacks in real-time, enabling them to bypass security measures like two-factor authentication. The takedown of LabHost is a significant victory in the ongoing fight against cybercrime and demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating online threats and protecting individuals' sensitive information.
Source:Â CNN