Police dismantle KillSec ransomware gang allegedly led by 16-year-old
International Operation KillSwitch seized KillSec's servers and leak site, arrested three suspects, and identified a 16-year-old as the ransomware gang's leader.
Operation KillSwitch, led by German authorities with Europol, Eurojust, and agencies from ten countries, seized KillSec's dark web leak site and five servers, provisionally arrested three suspects, and searched eight properties on September 30. Investigators identified a 16-year-old as the gang's suspected administrator and main operator. The probe covers roughly 1,000 suspected attacks since 2024, with about 500 deemed successful, including 70 against German organizations, and law enforcement seized 110 TB of stolen data. Europol says KillSec received substantial ransoms after exploiting edge device vulnerabilities, and that members used AI to build ransomware infrastructure and identify victims.