[German]International law enforcement agencies involving Europol have dismantled a communication platform called Ghost. The platform had been set up to enable organized crime to communicate in encrypted form. The platform was used as a tool to carry out a variety of criminal activities. These included large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, cases of extreme violence and other forms of serious and organized crime.
Advertising
I came across the issue via the following tweet and this Europol press release. It states that Europol and Eurojust, together with law enforcement and judicial authorities from around the world, have successfully dismantled an encrypted communication platform.
The platform had been set up to facilitate serious and organized crime committed by dangerous criminal networks operating globally. Criminals had used the platform known as Ghost as a tool to carry out a wide range of criminal activities. These include large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, cases of extreme violence and other forms of serious and organized crime.
Ghost was popular with criminal organizations due to its advanced security features, according to reports. The platform operator advertised that communications were encrypted and thus protected. Users were able to purchase the tool without providing any personal data. Membership cost 1,600 euros for six months (fee for the tool) and users need to use a life time membership.
The solution created by the platform's developer used three encryption standards and offered the ability to send a message followed by a specific code that led to the self-destruction of all messages on the target phone. This allowed criminal networks to communicate securely, evade detection, fend off forensic measures and coordinate their illegal operations across borders.
Advertising
But law enforcement managed to crack this encryption of the WhatsApp-like messenger used to communicate with the group (via the servers used) and read the messages, it says here. Law enforcement officers were able to identify servers in France and Iceland. It was then possible to read the communications on the servers in France. Finally, the 32-year-old owner of the Ghost platform, who is based in Australia, was tracked down. When it became clear that the platform's assets were located in the United States, a global operation was launched against the communications platform.
The dismantling involved a series of coordinated raids and technical interventions. In the course of the investigation, 51 suspects were arrested: 38 in Australia, 11 in Ireland, one in Canada and one in Italy, who belongs to the Italian mafia group Sacra Corona Unita. Further arrests are expected. In addition, a number of murder orders have been foiled, a drug laboratory in Australia has been dismantled and weapons, drugs and over 1 million euros in cash have been seized worldwide. Bleeping Computer also has an article with details.
Advertising
