Thu Sep 19 13:07:00 UTC 2024: ## International Cybercrime Bust: 17 Arrested in Operation Kaerb
**AMSTERDAM, Sept. 19, 2024** – In a collaborative effort spearheaded by Europol and Ameripol, a multi-agency operation code-named “Operation Kaerb” has led to the arrest of 17 cybercriminals across Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Spain. The operation, which involved European and Latin American law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities, targeted the “iServer” phishing-as-a-service platform, a five-year-old operation responsible for targeting over 1.2 million mobile phones globally.
The iServer platform, primarily used by Spanish-speaking criminals in North and South America, has expanded its operations to Europe and beyond. Its unique focus on harvesting credentials to unlock stolen phones differentiates it from typical phishing-as-a-service platforms.
The iServer platform provides a web interface allowing low-skilled criminals, known as “unlockers”, to steal device passwords, user credentials, and other personal information from victims. This information allows them to bypass Lost Mode and unlock phones acquired through illegal means.
Group-IB, a leading cybersecurity company, played a key role in Operation Kaerb. The company’s specialists uncovered the structure and roles within the criminal syndicates operating the platform. They found that the platform’s owner/developer sells access to “unlockers,” who in turn provide phone unlocking services to other criminals with locked stolen devices.
The phishing attacks are specifically designed to gather data that grants access to physical mobile devices. Criminals use this data to acquire user credentials and local device passwords, unlocking devices or unlinking them from their owners. iServer automates the creation and delivery of phishing pages that imitate popular cloud-based mobile platforms, using several unique implementations to enhance its effectiveness.
The operation resulted in the arrest of the iServer platform’s administrator, an Argentinian national, who was ultimately responsible for this significant cybercrime operation.
“We are honored to stop millions of cyber attacks targeting mobile users,” said Dmitry Volkov, CEO of Group-IB. “The arrest of the syndicate members, including the mastermind, has averted significant fraud and safeguarded the personal lives of individuals across various regions.”
The success of Operation Kaerb is a testament to the importance of international cooperation in combating cybercrime. Group-IB continues to collaborate with international law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime globally.
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