from DION HENRICK in Cape Town
Western Cape Bureau
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – SOME 14 perpetrators have been arrested and network infrastructure, linked to financial losses of more than US$40 million, identified following a continental partnership between Kaspersky and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).
Kaspersky, the global cyber security and digital privacy company, has supported INTERPOL with threat intelligence data in its Africa Cyber Surge II operation, which enabled investigators to identify compromised infrastructure and apprehend threat actors suspected of cybercrimes across Africa.
The Africa Cyber Surge operation is a continuous multi-stakeholder effort aimed at fighting cyber crime and protecting communities in the continent.
The first part of the operation was carried out from July to November 2022. It resulted in a series of operational and investigative activities against the threat actors behind the cybercrimes in Africa.
The Africa Cyber Surge II operation was launched in April 2023 and lasted for four months, spanning across 25 African countries.
The action was undertaken by INTERPOL’s Cyber Crime Directorate, under the auspices of the INTERPOL Africa Cybercrime Operations desk, and INTERPOL’s Support Programme for the African Union (ISPA) in relation to AFRIPOL.
Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General, said the operation has led to the strengthening of cyber crime departments in member countries as well as the solidification of partnerships with crucial stakeholders, such as computer emergency response teams and internet service providers (ISPs).
“This will further contribute to reducing the global impact of cybercrime and protecting communities in the region,” Stock said.
Together with INTERPOL’s other private sector partners, Kaspersky has shared with the international agency indicators of compromise (IoCs), including malicious command and control servers, phishing links and domains, and scam IPs.
“Only by harnessing the power of effective private-public partnership, can we give an impetus to the further strengthening of the cyber security industry in the African region to ensure that African countries can realise their outstanding potential without hindrance and regard for cybercrimes,” said Yuliya Shlychkova, Public Affairs Director at Kaspersky.
The data sharing exchange between Kaspersky and INTERPOL is part of a five-year cooperation agreement, signed by both parties in 2019.
– CAJ News