FBI Operation ‘Ghost Click’ Dismantles Estonia Based Cyber Fraud Ring
Posted: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
After a two year investigation, the FBI shut down an international fraud ring which had infected millions of computers world wide with a virus and enabled the thieves to manipulate the multi-billion-dollar Internet advertising industry. The headquarters of this ring was in little Estonia.
According to the FBI story, the operation had it’s beginning in 2007 using a class of malware called DNSChanger and were able to infect approximately 4 million computers in over 100 countries. Some 500,000 of those computers were in the U.S. and included individual’s, businesses and government computers such as NASA. Their operation is known to have generated at least $14 million dollars in illicit fees and the malware was able to cause many computers anti-virus program to be function improperly which allowed other malware to infect them.
Janice Fedarcyk, New York FBI Assistant Director in Charge issued this statement:
“Today, with the flip of a switch, the FBI and our partners dismantled the Rove criminal enterprise. Thanks to the collective effort across the U.S. and in Estonia, six leaders of the criminal enterprise have been arrested and numerous servers operated by the criminal organization have been disabled. Additionally, thanks to a coordinated effort of trusted industry partners, a mitigation plan commenced today, beginning with the replacement of rogue DNS servers with clean DNS servers to keep millions online, while providing ISPs the opportunity to coordinate user remediation efforts.” (Ibid)
The six leaders of the operation arrested were Estonia nationals. They were taken into custody in Estonia by their authorities. The U.S. is seeking extradition of all six to this country. Estonia is a small country, formerly a part of the Soviet Union, with a population of about 1.34 million. Today, it is one of the least-populous members of the European Union, Eurozone and NATO. It is a rather amazing little country.
According to Eurostat newsrelease published at 21 October 2011, Estonia has the lowest ratio of government debt to GDP among EU countries as 6.7 percent at the end of 2010. The world media has lately started to describe Estonia as a Nordic country, emphasizing the economic, political and cultural differences between Estonia and its less successful Baltic neighbors. A balanced budget, almost non-existent public debt, flat-rate income tax, free trade regime, competitive commercial banking sector, innovative e-Services and even mobile-based services are all hallmarks of Estonia's market economy. (Estonia: Wikipedia)
With stats like that, it should be the envy of the world. Yet, you find law breakers everywhere.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Very informative article, Joel. You could have easily succeeded as a fine journalist! ~mogama~Thanks for the kind comment Mogama. I sincerely wish that I could have been one. I regret so much, having not taken journalism in college. But, you know, a kid with marriage on his mind more than a great career. I enjoy writing.
Thanks Joel, I had no idea about this!
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