FBI Thwarts Large-Scale Infection of Numerous Computers by Malicious Program

The Justice Department has announced that the FBI has successfully disrupted a widespread malware infection that had affected over 700,000 computers globally. This operation marks a significant blow to one of the longest-running cybercriminal botnets, as conveyed by FBI Director Christopher Wray in a press release on Tuesday.

Wray stated, “Through a globally coordinated effort with our federal and international partners, we have effectively incapacitated this cybercriminal network. Our relentless pursuit of cybercriminal organizations, their enablers, and their financial resources entails dismantling their ability to exploit illicit infrastructure for their attacks. Today’s triumph yet again showcases the FBI’s unwavering commitment to combating cybercrime and safeguarding the American people.”

The malware responsible for this widespread infection, known as Qakbot, transformed victimized computers into a botnet – an interconnected system of compromised computers. This allowed the perpetrators to remotely control the infected computers in a synchronized manner, explained the Justice Department.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, in a statement released alongside the press release, emphasized, “Today’s actions should serve as a reminder to cybercriminals who rely on malware like Qakbot to illicitly obtain private data from innocent victims that they will be held accountable within the bounds of the law. Collaborating with our international partners, the Justice Department has dismantled Qakbot’s infrastructure, launched an aggressive campaign to remove the malware from victimized computers worldwide, and seized a total of $8.6 million in extorted funds.”