The FBI, in coordination with law enforcement agencies from several countries, including Poland, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Sweden, shut down Genesis Market, an underground marketplace that sold stolen credentials and digital fingerprints. The marketplace was primarily used to steal cryptocurrencies.
Genesis Market has been active since 2017 and was accessible by invitation only. The marketplace sold stolen credentials, cookies, and digital fingerprints, which allowed attackers to access the victims’ online banking and subscription services, bypassing the need for a password or two-factor authentication.
“Operation Cookie Monster” led to the arrest of approximately 120 people, and authorities conducted 200 searches worldwide. The FBI stated that Genesis Market offered access to data from over 1.5 million compromised computers worldwide, which included more than 80 million account access credentials. While the overall financial losses have not been determined, the FBI confirmed that Genesis Market generated $8.7 million from selling stolen credentials. The total losses are likely to exceed tens of millions of dollars.
The FBI’s success in taking down Genesis Market is a significant win for law enforcement agencies and the fight against cybercrime. The operation serves as a reminder to cybercriminals that they will not go undetected, and law enforcement agencies worldwide will work together to bring them to justice.
