Global Malware Network Shuts Down After Stealing $5.9bn, Linked to Various Criminal Activities, and Operated by Chinese National Charged with Conspiracy

Law enforcement agencies from around the world, in partnership with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI, have successfully shut down a global malware network that stole $5.9bn (£4.65bn) and is linked to various other crimes. This operation is said to have dismantled “likely the world’s largest botnet ever”.

The botnet was used for cyber attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations. The DOJ claims that over half a million fraudulent unemployment insurance claims originated from compromised IP addresses, resulting in the loss of over $5.9bn. Additionally, the network facilitated the purchasing of goods with stolen credit cards and money laundering.

Chinese national YunHe Wang has been charged with creating and operating this network. He faces charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, substantive computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 65 years in prison.

Between 2014 and 2022, Mr. Wang and his associates created and ran the botnet from approximately 150 servers worldwide. The botnet infiltrated more than 19 million Internet Protocol (IP) addresses across nearly 200 countries. An IP address is a unique identifier for a device on the internet or a network.

Mr. Wang allegedly profited approximately $99m by selling access to the IP addresses