Europol Takes Down Botnets and Arrests Hackers in Major Operation

- Europol led Operation Endgame, arresting 4 and taking down 100+ servers linked to hackers and malware. - Botnets IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smokeloader, Bumblebee, and Trickbot were shut down by Europol. - Hackers sold network access to other hackers after hacking "well-known companies." - Ted Cruz purchased 3 Bitcoin miners in Texas, supporting crypto mining. - El Salvador hotel tokenization fund raise struggles to reach $6.25 million target. - SEC chair Gensler faces criticism for past ties to Clinton scandal.
Summary :
Europol, the European Union's top law enforcement agency, has conducted a major operation called "Operation Endgame" to take down several botnets involved in deploying ransomware. The operation resulted in the arrest of four individuals and the shutdown of over 100 servers. The targeted botnets include IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smokeloader, Bumblebee, and Trickbot. These botnets used various methods, such as phishing links, to gain access to systems and drop malicious code. The hackers behind these botnets also sold access to compromised networks to other cybercriminals. Multiple law enforcement agencies from several countries participated in the operation. In other news, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has revealed that he purchased three Bitcoin mining rigs and joined the ranks of Texas Bitcoin miners. The mining rigs are located in a facility in Iraan, Texas. Cruz has been a vocal supporter of Bitcoin and has advocated for Texas to become a crypto mining hub. Lastly, a hotel developer in El Salvador has struggled to raise the targeted $6.25 million through a tokenization offering for a Hampton by Hilton near the El Salvador International Airport. The developer has only raised $342,000 so far, despite offering a 10% yearly return to investors.

Sources :

- CoinTelegraph