Cybersecurity Policy Report, Global Operation Disrupts Service Used for Cyber Crime, (Jun 2, 2025)
An online service that enables cyber criminals to make their malware undetectable by antivirus systems has been disrupted by the Department of Justice and its international partners.
Armed with a court order, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of Texas seized four Internet domains used to operate AVCheck.net, DoJ said in a news release.
Similar seizures occurred in Europe, according to the Dutch National Police, which described AVCheck as “one of the largest Counter Antivirus (CAV) services used by cybercriminals around the world.”
“A CAV service allows malware developers to test if their malware will be detected by various antivirus programmes. A good CAV service is essential for carrying out malware attacks, as it allows criminals to access the networks of their victims undetected,” the Dutch agency explained in a news release.
France, Germany, Denmark, Ukraine, and Portugal also assisted the operation, DoJ said.
“As cybercriminals have become more sophisticated in their schemes, they have likewise become more advanced in their efforts to avoid detection,” U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said.
“As such, our law enforcement efforts must involve striking not just at the individual fraudster or hacker, but the enablers of these cybercriminals as well,” Mr. Ganjei added. “This investigation did exactly that. With this syndicate shut down, there is one less provider of malicious tools for cybercriminals out there.”
The AVCheck takedown was conducted as part of Operation Endgame, a global law enforcement effort launched last year to disrupt cyber crime (CPR, May 30, 2024).
News: InternationalLegislation FederalLegislation LitigationEnforcement DataSecurity