The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it dismantled an extensive international bot network used to commit cyber attacks, major fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats and export violations, according to the press release.
Yunhe Wang, 35, a Chinese national, was arrested on May 24 on charges related to his use of malware and the creation of a proxy service called “911 S5,” the DOJ noted. Wang’s alleged activities shielded criminals behind compromised IP addresses, allowing them to commit their crimes without being detected, according to U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Criminals allegedly used these IP addresses to send bomb threats, distribute child exploitation material and commit financial crimes, the press release explained. Wang and his cohorts allegedly created and distributed malware to amass a network of millions of personal computers across the globe, according to the indictment. (RELATED: ‘Hacked The Hackers’: US And Allies Take Down One Of World’s Most Notorious Cybercrime Gangs)
Attorney General Merrick Garland explained that the operation, led by the DOJ, “brought together law enforcement partners from around the globe to disrupt 911 S5.” Garland added that, “This case makes clear that the long arm of the law stretches across borders and into the deepest shadows of the dark web, and the Justice Department will ever stop fighting to hold cyber criminals to account.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray said the operation, “demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to protect American businesses and the American people, and we will work tirelessly to unmask and arrest the cybercriminals who profit from this illegal activity.”
Wang allegedly disseminated the malware through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) program, allegedly controlling over 150 servers worldwide. He was allegedly able to command and control the infected devices and gave cybercriminals access to the related IP addresses associated with the devices, according to the press release.
“The disruption, seizure, and arrest of the perpetrator(s) responsible for the 911 S5 cybercriminal enterprise demonstrates the forward-leaning posture of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Cyber Field Office,” said DCIS Director Kelly P. Mayo.
