Authorities from Europe and the United States worked together to dismantle a malicious proxy network linked to “SocksEscort,” a service that infected home and small business routers. Europol reported that the action, dubbed “Operation Lightning,” neutralized a botnet that compromised more than 369,000 devices across 163 countries. During the interventions, U.S. authorities managed to freeze $3.5 million in cryptocurrencies and seized the technical infrastructure used to facilitate fraudulent activities globally.
— Eurojust (@Eurojust) March 12, 2026
Servers used for cybercrime around the world taken down
Authorities from eight countries targeted a website allegedly offering IP proxy services for cybercriminals in 102 countries.
https://t.co/oOqRlIZgdt pic.twitter.com/QHhCSC7Qlo
This bilateral action is a crucial step for the security of the crypto market, as the dismantled infrastructure facilitated serious cybercrimes, including ransomware attacks, DDoS, and the theft of crypto-asset exchange accounts. U.S. federal prosecutors cited massive losses, including a New York exchange customer defrauded of $1 million in digital assets. “SocksEscort” allowed criminals to hide their location, facilitating financial fraud and affecting business and military sectors.
In summary, the coordinated operation underlines the international commitment to fighting cybercrime enabled by digital technologies. The dismantling of the botnet network and the freezing of cryptocurrency funds represent a decisive step in protecting the integrity of global financial systems.
Source:https://x.com/Eurojust/status/2032109801056960677
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