Operation ENDGAME Deals Major Blow to Global Ransomware Operations

Operation ENDGAME disrupts global ransomware infrastructure in coordinated international crackdown.

Joint international operation targets cybercrime syndicates

Operation ENDGAME, an unprecedented coordinated international cybercrime operation, has disrupted ransomware infrastructure globally.

The effort, led by Europol and Eurojust, dismantled a vast criminal ecosystem by taking down over 300 servers and 650 domains linked to malware distribution and ransomware attacks.

Authorities also issued 20 international arrest warrants as part of the crackdown.

Cross-border coordination

Authorities established a central command post at Europol headquarters in The Hague, and used it as an operational hub for investigators from multiple countries.

“A Command Post was set up at Europol headquarters in The Hague during the action week, with investigators from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands,  the United Kingdom and the United States working with Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and its Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce,” Europol said in a press release. “The Command Post coordinated law enforcement actions, managed intelligence on seized servers, and oversaw the implementation of the operational action plan.”

The coordinated effort was supported by Eurojust, which facilitated judicial collaboration since the operation’s planning phase in 2024.

Financial seizures and malware disruption

Authorities seized €3.5 million in cryptocurrency during the raids, bringing the cumulative total to over €21 million recovered from cybercrime syndicates over the past year.

Operation ENDGAME follows 2024’s botnet dismantling efforts, now focusing on disabling the initial access malware that facilitated ransomware attacks.

Malware families such as Qakbot, Bumblebee, DanaBot, and Trickbot, often used in ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) models, were among those neutralized.

International alerts placed on suspects

Key figures linked to the disrupted malware operations are now under international pursuit, with 18 names added to the EU’s Most Wanted list starting May 23 for allegedly providing or managing infrastructure used in major ransomware incidents.

"This new phase demonstrates law enforcement’s ability to adapt and strike again, even as cybercriminals retool and reorganize,” said Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. “By disrupting the services criminals rely on to deploy ransomware, we are breaking the kill chain at its source.”

Ransomware still plaguing the cyber landscape

Unfortunately, ransomware is still a serious threat in the cyber landscape, posing enormous risks for individuals and organizations.

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