Facebook works with FBI to bust international cybercrime ring

GlobalPost

Facebook has helped the FBI to smash an international computer hacking ring, which netted $850 million from 11 million unsuspecting computer users.

Ten people from the US, Europe, South America and New Zealand were arrested in one of the largest cybercrime hauls in history, Reuters reported.

The gang are said to have infected 11million computers around the world with "yahos" malicious spyware, which enabled them to steal credit card numbers and bank details, the BBC News reported.

Facebook's security team was asked to help the FBI after the gang began targeting Facebook users from 2010, Sky News reported.

The FBI said Facebook's security systems were "able to detect affected accounts and provide tools to remove these threats".

It also helped to identify the alleged source of the attacks. 

According to the agency, the offenders used the "Butterfly Botnet" on computers. Botnets are networks of compromised computers that can be used in a variety of cyberattacks on personal computers.

The FBI said the 10 people arrested were from the US, UK, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, New Zealand and Peru.

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