Authorities in Europe and North America have successfully taken down a criminal VPN service known as First VPN. This service was used by cybercriminals to hide their identities while carrying out ransomware attacks, data theft, and other illegal activities. The operation was led by France and the Netherlands, with support from several other countries including the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the U.K.
First VPN was specifically designed for criminal use, offering services that allowed users to make anonymous payments and operate under a hidden infrastructure. It was promoted on cybercrime forums as a tool to evade law enforcement and carry out illegal activities such as ransomware attacks and fraud.
The international operation to dismantle First VPN took place over two days, during which authorities conducted various actions including interviewing the service’s administrator, seizing servers, and infrastructure used in cybercriminal activities. Several domains associated with First VPN were confiscated, including 1vpns[.]com, 1vpns[.]net, and 1vpns[.]org.
The FBI revealed that First VPN had been active since 2014, providing exit node servers in 27 countries including the U.S. The service was used by various ransomware groups to conduct network intrusions and reconnaissance. Subscription plans ranged from one day to a year, with prices varying between $2 and $483.
First VPN offered multiple connection protocols and encryption options, as well as technical support through encrypted messaging services. The service emphasized anonymity and security, stating that it did not store logs that could be used to identify users.
Despite claiming to prohibit illicit activities, First VPN was widely used by cybercriminals for illegal purposes. The service’s FAQ mentioned that any complaints about illicit activities would result in the disabling of servers.
The takedown of First VPN marks a significant victory in the fight against cybercrime, with authorities from multiple countries working together to dismantle a key tool used by criminals to hide their identities and carry out illegal activities.
