FBI announced On Monday it “destroyed” a global phishing operation that reportedly helped hackers target more than 17,000 victims worldwide.
The website of the operation, known as W3LL, displayed a notice saying it had been seized by the FBI. The bureau said it worked with Indonesian police in the takedown operation, which resulted in the detention of the alleged W3LL developer – identified only as GL – and the seizure of “key domains”.
Cybercriminals can purchase a W3LL phishing kit for $500 to deploy fake versions of websites that mimic the login pages of legitimate services, allowing criminals to steal passwords and multi-factor authentication codes from victims. According to the FBI, the phishing kit enabled cybercriminals to “attempt to defraud more than $20 million.”
The FBI said the W3LL online marketplace allegedly allowed criminals to buy and sell stolen credentials and access to hacked systems, which “facilitated the sale of more than 25,000 compromised accounts”.
The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment, asking to provide more information.
