European authorities take down the ‘most dangerous’ malware network

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The malware, Emotet, gained access to users’ computers via infected email attachments, including documents that were supposedly “invoices, despatch notices and information on Covid-19,” the European police station Europol, which coordinated the effort, said Wednesday in a statement .

“The Emotet infrastructure essentially acted as a primary door opener for global computing systems,” said Europol. “Once this unauthorized access was identified, they were sold to other top-level criminal groups to engage in further illegal activities such as data theft and extortion.”

The global attempt to disrupt and take control of the compromised network known as a botnet was carried out jointly by eight countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. The network consisted of hundreds of servers around the world, Europol said.
An investigation by the Dutch police revealed a database of email addresses, passwords and usernames that had been compromised by Emotet. This link allows users to check whether their email addresses have been violated.
According to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the malware experienced a resurgence last year, describing “a significant increase in malicious cyber actors targeting state and local governments” with Emotet phishing emails. “This increase has delivered Emotet one of the most common persistent threats, ”added CISA.

Europol urged internet users to update their device’s antivirus programs and to take greater care not to fall prey to malware attacks.

“Users should check their email carefully and avoid opening messages and especially attachments from unknown senders,” he said. “If a message seems too good to be true, it probably is, and emails that evoke a sense of urgency should be avoided at all costs.”

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