The US has implemented a new global visa restriction policy targeting individuals involved in cybercrime, including online investment scams and sextortion. The policy, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also applies to immediate family members and aims to combat international cybercrime networks, particularly those defrauding US citizens.
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established a dedicated unit to investigate cybercrime and financial fraud linked to cryptocurrency. This initiative follows the creation of the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) in July 2025, which regulates digital assets, and a statement in December 2025 indicating Pakistan ranked as the world's third-largest crypto market by retail activity.
Malaysia's Cybercrimes Bill 2026 passed both houses of Parliament, replacing the 1997 Computer Crimes Act. The bill addresses a surge in online fraud, with 8,014 charges recorded between January and May this year, surpassing 2025 figures.
Two men linked to the "Scattered Spider" hacking group received five-year, six-month prison sentences in the UK after pleading guilty to cybercrime charges. The group is tied to high-profile ransomware, cryptocurrency extortion, and attacks on UK and US companies, including London's transport network and Caesars Entertainment.
Researchers clarified that while an AI agent executed a ransomware attack from start to finish, a human was still involved in setting up the operation, provisioning infrastructure, and choosing the victim. The agent exploited known vulnerabilities to encrypt files and generate a ransom note.
India's government has asked Meta to pause WhatsApp username rollout, citing concerns over impersonation, fraud, and cybercrime. Meta argues usernames enhance privacy by hiding phone numbers, but the government seeks further clarification on safeguards before the feature becomes available.
Meta Platforms is defending its new WhatsApp username feature after India's government warned it could increase cybercrime. India has given WhatsApp three days to explain the feature, citing concerns about fraud and phishing, and has asked the company to pause the rollout.
VIB Bank has been awarded two commendations by the Ministry of Public Security for its outstanding achievements in implementing Project 06 and its efforts in preventing high-tech crime. The awards recognize the bank's investment in data, technology, and risk management, as well as its collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security on digital identity and customer protection.
A 75-year-old New Orleans man, who legally changed his name to Santa Claus, was arrested in Kenner, Louisiana, during an undercover sting operation targeting online child predators. He faces charges including illegal computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
Google's top privacy and security staff warn that the EU's Digital Markets Act plans, requiring the company to open up Search data and Android OS, could lead to increased fraud and hacking. They claim proposed anonymization methods are weak and data could be reidentified, while competitors argue the risks are overstated and addressable.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko announced a 31% reduction in cybercrimes in Russia during the first five months of 2026. This decline follows years of growth and is attributed to newly adopted anti-fraud measures, including a self-ban mechanism for international calls and a 'panic button' on the Gosuslugi portal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged states to expedite the rollout of e-Zero FIRs, a system that automatically converts verified cyber-fraud complaints into FIRs. This digital initiative aims to bypass jurisdictional barriers and enable immediate action against fraudsters, addressing the growing threat of organized cybercrime in India. The CBI's Operation Chakra-VI recently conducted a major crackdown, arresting individuals involved in money laundering and uncovering fraudulent websites.
Europol's Operation Endgame froze over €41 million in criminal crypto assets, dismantling infrastructure for SocGholish, Amadey, and StealC malware families. The two-week, multi-country crackdown targeted infostealers, recovering credentials and cleaning infected websites.
International authorities and private tech companies disrupted a cybercrime 'assembly line' involving Amadey and StealC malware, recovering $47 million in crypto assets and 27 million login credentials. The operation, 'Operation Endgame,' targeted over 200 command-and-control servers and 18,000 infected computers globally.
Market intelligence provider Klue experienced a data breach, with cybercrime group Icarus claiming responsibility and threatening to release stolen data if a ransom is not paid. The attack compromised customer data, including business contact information, from prominent cybersecurity firms.
Interpol's latest cyber threat assessment reveals online crimes are increasingly surpassing traditional illicit activities, with over half of surveyed Asian and South Pacific member states reporting cybercrime constitutes 30% of national crime.
Sri Lanka is becoming a hub for transnational cybercrime as Chinese-run scam operations relocate from Southeast Asia. Police report an alarming increase, with nearly 700 foreigners arrested this year. Recent raids in Colombo uncovered fake documents and large sums of money.
Google has filed a civil lawsuit against a China-based cybercrime group called Outsider Enterprise for allegedly using its AI, Gemini, to mass-produce phishing sites. The group is accused of defrauding numerous victims, primarily in the US, of financial information. This marks Google's first lawsuit over the misuse of Gemini.
Google has filed a lawsuit against Outsider Enterprise, a Chinese cybercrime network, for allegedly using Gemini AI to automate fraudulent text messaging and phishing campaigns. The operation reportedly targeted hundreds of thousands of U.S. victims, stealing millions of credit card numbers and causing billions in losses.
Google has filed a lawsuit against a Chinese cybercrime network, "Outsider Enterprise," for allegedly using its Gemini AI to create convincing financial scams. The group, operating from China, generated over a million malicious internet addresses and 9,000 counterfeit websites, targeting hundreds of thousands of users, primarily in the US, with millions of dollars in losses.
Google has sued a Chinese cybercrime network, Outsider Enterprise, for allegedly using its Gemini AI to perpetrate a large-scale scam. The operation, which impacted hundreds of thousands of victims and caused millions in losses, created thousands of fake websites and fraudulent URLs. Google is collaborating with the FBI and major carriers, and advocating for new legislation to combat AI-driven attacks.
Google has filed a lawsuit against Outsider Enterprise, an alleged Chinese cybercrime network using AI to send mass scam texts and create fake websites. The operation, which impersonates brands like Google, has defrauded hundreds of thousands of victims, with estimated losses in the millions and potentially billions from stolen credit cards.
Si è spenta a 51 anni Carola Frediani, autorevole giornalista italiana specializzata in diritti digitali, cybersicurezza, privacy e geopolitica della Rete. Ha lasciato un figlio e il marito. Tra i suoi libri "L’inganno dell’automa" (2025).
New online rackets are allegedly selling 'NEET re-exam question papers' and 'guaranteed scores' for up to Rs 20 lakh. An activist has filed a complaint with cybercrime police in Ahmedabad.
