In a significant crackdown on cybercrime, European law enforcement agencies have dismantled a VPN service known as First VPN, which was reportedly used by criminals to carry out ransomware attacks and data theft. This operation, led by France and the Netherlands with assistance from Europol and Eurojust, resulted in the identification of thousands of users before shutting down the service and arresting its administrator.
The investigation into First VPN began in December 2021. Authorities gained access to the service, allowing them to obtain a user database that revealed VPN connections used by cybercriminals. This intelligence led to operational insights related to various serious offenses, including fraud and ransomware schemes.
Prior to the seizure of the domain, Dutch police reported having access to the criminal activities of users who believed they were secure. The now-defunct website promoted features such as IP address concealment and encrypted communications, asserting a "no logs" policy that misled users into thinking they could operate without detection.