A world regulation enforcement operation codenamed ‘Operation Passionflower’ has shut down MATRIX, an encrypted messaging platform utilized by cybercriminals to coordinate unlawful actions whereas evading police.
It must be famous that MATRIX is a unique entity from the safe open-source, decentralized, real-time communications protocol with the identical identify, which is completely authorized to proceed utilizing.
The operation was performed throughout Europe, together with France, the Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, and Germany, and was coordinated by Europol and Eurojust.
Against the law enabler
The police tracked down MATRIX after recovering the cellphone of a shooter who tried to assassinate journalist Peter R. de Vries in July 2021.
After analyzing the cellphone, they found it was custom-made to connect with an encrypted messaging service known as Matrix.
A joint investigation staff (JIT) between the Dutch and French authorities allowed the police to watch and intercept 2.3 million messages in 33 totally different languages despatched via the gadgets. Nevertheless, no technical particulars had been supplied on how they may achieve this.
“For three months, authorities were able to monitor the messages from possible criminals, which will now be used to support other investigations.” reads an announcement by Europol.
“During a coordinated operation supported by Eurojust and Europol, the messaging service was taken down by Dutch and French authorities and follow-up actions were executed by their Italian, Lithuanian and Spanish counterparts.”
MATRIX’s 40 servers unfold throughout Europe facilitated the communications of a minimum of 8,000 consumer accounts, who paid between $1350 and $1700 in cryptocurrency for a Google Pixel-based machine and a six-month subscription to the service put in on the cellphone.
MATRIX was additionally offered underneath the names’ Mactrix,’ ‘Totalsec,’ ‘X-quantum,’ and ‘Q-safe,’ however all of them used the identical infrastructure.
MATRIX additionally affords the power to make encrypted video calls, observe transactions, and browse the web anonymously.
Seizures and arrests
Regulation enforcement performed simultaneous raids and searches in 4 international locations earlier as we speak, ensuing within the shutdown of 40 servers in France and Germany and the arrests of 5 suspects in Spain and France.
One of many arrested, a 52-year-old Lithuanian man, is suspected to be the proprietor and first operator of MATRIX.
The authorities have additionally seized 970 encrypted telephones, €145,000 ($152,500) in money, €500,000 ($525,000) in cryptocurrency, and 4 autos.
The seizure banner posted on MATRIX’s web site warns customers of the service that their communications have been uncovered, and the investigation will proceed.
Supply: BleepingComputer
In a separate announcement, the Dutch police famous that any MATRIX customers who selected the service for its privateness and anonymity and did not get entangled in crime actions ought to e mail geheimhouders@om.nl to request an exemption from the investigations.
The takedown of MATRIX comes regardless of its operators’ technical sophistication and perception that it was superior to beforehand dismantled encrypted cellphone companies.
Nevertheless, earlier regulation enforcement operations that took down related encrypted cellphone companies, like Ghost, EncroChat, Exclu, and Sky ECC, present that when regulation enforcement learns about their infrastructure, they’ll collect vital proof of legal acts by monitoring intercepted messages or via seized servers.
This proof has led to the arrest of 1000’s of drug sellers, weapons sellers, organized criminals, murderers, and cash launderers.
