05/28/2024

Cops Are Just Trolling Cybercriminals Now

Police are using subtle psychological operations against ransomware gangs

Russian cybercriminals are almost untouchable. For years, hackers based in the country have launched devastating ransomware attacks against hospitals, critical infrastructure and businesses, causing billions in losses. But they are out of reach of Western law enforcement and largely ignored by the Russian authorities. When police do take the criminals' servers and websites offline, they are often back hacking within weeks.

Now, investigators are increasingly adding a new dimension to their disruption playbook: messing with cybercriminals' minds. To put it bluntly, they are trolling the hackers.

In recent months, Western law enforcement officials have turned to psychological measures as an added way to slow down Russian hackers and cut to the heart of the sweeping cybercrime ecosystem. These nascent psyops include efforts to erode the limited trust the criminals have in each other, driving subtle wedges between fragile hacker egos and sending offenders personalized messages showing they are being watched.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.