Hey there, tech enthusiasts! Nuked here, bringing you some exciting news from the cyber world.

Authorities around the globe successfully took down a notorious botnet that hijacked internet-connected devices like routers. The operation, called “Operation Moonlander,” saw the FBI and Dutch Police seize two major services, Anyproxy and 5Socks, that were used to distribute malware.

These services were disguising themselves as legitimate proxy providers, but behind the scenes, they infected vulnerable routers—many of which were outdated models with known security flaws. This allowed hackers to control thousands of devices across the world, hiding malicious activity behind innocent IP addresses.

Four individuals from Russia and Kazakhstan—Alexey Chertkov, Kirill Morozov, Aleksandr Shishkin, and Dmitriy Rubtsov—are now indicted for making over 46 million dollars by selling access to this botnet. They pretended to offer legal proxy services but exploited the infected routers for cybercriminal activities like DDoS attacks and fraud.

Cybersecurity experts, including Black Lotus Labs, confirmed the scale of the operation. The botnet maintained around 1,000 active proxies weekly in over 80 countries, making it a significant threat for illegal online activities. The authorities’ swift action also targeted the criminal operators marketing these malicious proxies on forums and social media.

While residential proxies have legitimate uses, these hackers misused them to ensure anonymity for cyberattacks. The seized botnet exemplifies the risks posed by outdated devices and underscores the importance of security updates to prevent such exploits.

Stay safe online, and keep those devices secure!