Interpol spearheads massive African cybercrime crackdown

Half a dozen ransomware variants and over 6,000 nefarious links have been decrypted and dismantled, respectively, while $3 million associated with ransomware, extortion, and business email compromise attacks has been sequestered as part of the Interpol-led effort Operation Sentinel that clamped down on cybercriminal activities across Africa, reports BleepingComputer.

Interpol has also arrested 574 individuals in the operation, which was conducted in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, and Cameroon with the cooperation of Trend Micro, The Shadowserver Foundation, Team Cymru, Uppsala Security, and TRM Labs.

"The scale and sophistication of cyberattacks across Africa are accelerating, especially against critical sectors like finance and energy. The outcomes from Operation Sentinel reflect the commitment of African law enforcement agencies, working in close coordination with international partners," said Interpol Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton. Such a development comes after Interpol apprehended over 1,200 suspected cybercriminals and disrupted thousands of cyberattack infrastructures in Operation Serengeti 2.0.