Stunned!
"Internet-addicted teenager" creates the world's largest botnet
FBI staged a real-life version of "The Matrix"
In an international law enforcement operation comparable to the annual drama, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) teamed up with law enforcement agencies from multiple countries to successfully destroy the world's largest botnet - "911 S5".
The mastermind behind this drama is a Chinese citizen named Yunhe Wang, who actually stole billions of dollars through this network empire and lived a luxurious life comparable to the movie "Fast and Furious"!
FBI Director Christopher Wray said: "The 911 S5 botnet may be the largest botnet we have ever seen. It has infected computers in nearly 200 countries. It is simply the "Thanos" of the hacker world!"
Yunhe Wang not only calls the shots in the cybercrime world, but also uses the stolen money to live an enviable luxurious life: Rolls-Royce, BMW, Ferrari, everything, and luxury houses all over the world. He made an easy $99 million by selling access to infected computers, and he spent his hard-earned money on luxury cars and mansions around the world.
Botnets are "ghost armies" of infected computers controlled by hackers, used to carry out a variety of criminal activities, from collecting personal data to sending malicious emails. Brett Leatherman, deputy assistant director of FBI cyber operations, revealed that Yunhe Wang, 35, was arrested in Singapore last week and $29 million worth of cryptocurrency was seized in the operation.
According to the Texas indictment, the botnet has been used to steal billions of dollars from financial institutions, credit card issuers and account holders since 2014. In the United States, the network infected about 613,000 computers and resulted in about $5.9 billion in fraud, including 560,000 false unemployment insurance claims.
Yunhe Wang used the dirty money to buy 21 luxury homes in the UAE, the United States, China, Singapore, Thailand and St. Kitts and Nevis, and also obtained citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis. The seized properties included not only luxury cars and watches, but also the mansion he used to show off his wealth.
If convicted, Yunhe Wang faces up to 65 years in prison. The operation was carried out with the full cooperation of the authorities in the United States, Singapore, Thailand and Germany, and successfully dismantled this huge criminal network.
Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security said: "The plot of this case is comparable to a Hollywood blockbuster!" This hacking plan aims to sell access to millions of malware-infected computers around the world, allowing criminals around the world to steal billions of dollars, send bomb threats and exchange child exploitation materials.
This shocking reversal not only reveals the dark side of the online world, but also reminds each of us to stay vigilant and protect our own network security. After all, your computer may become the next "ghost soldier" at any time.
