5 months ago
24
Law enforcement agencies from around the world have shut down a global malware network which stole US $5.9 billion and is linked to other crimes.
That’s according to the US Department of Justice, DOJ.
The DOJ partnered with the FBI and other international agencies to take down what was “likely the world’s largest botnet ever”.
Chinese national YunHe Wang, who is also a St Kitts and Nevis citizen, has been charged with creating and operating the network.
A botnet is a network of computers which have been infected with malware and are being controlled by a malicious actor.
Mr Wang is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, substantive computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of 65 years in prison.
According to the indictment, between 2014 to 2022, Mr Wang and others created and operated the botnet, called 911 S5, from about 150 servers around the world.
The DOJ says the botnet hacked into more than 19 million Internet Protocol, IP, addresses in almost 200 countries.
English (US) ·