Operation Endgame takes down malware network, neutralising over 300 Servers

An international law enforcement effort led by European, North American and British authorities has dismantled a malware distribution network, neutralising more than 300 servers and seizing 3.5 million euros in cryptocurrency, according to a recent report by Reuters.

The operation, coordinated under the code name 'Operation Endgame', targeted so-called "initial access malware," a class of malicious software used by cybercriminals to gain an initial foothold in victims' systems.

Authorities from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada were involved in this phase of the investigation, which saw arrests, server takedowns and domain seizures across multiple jurisdictions. 

Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, said in a statement that more than three dozen individuals had been identified, with 20 of them now facing criminal charges. International arrest warrants have been issued for all suspects.

Law enforcement agencies shut down over 300 servers used to deliver or control the malware and took offline 650 domain names associated with the criminal infrastructure. Since Operation Endgame began in 2024, total seizures now stand at over 21 million euros, as per the Reuters report.

German investigators are expected to place 18 of the principal suspects on the EU's Most Wanted list. Authorities have also launched public appeals to help locate those still at large. This week's coordinated enforcement action follows earlier operations in May 2024, which targeted botnets in what was then the largest crackdown of its kind. 

Officials have indicated that further enforcement actions and updates will be announced through a dedicated website.