A 32-year-old Australian "computer geek" has been arrested on suspicion of building an encrypted messaging app used by hundreds of criminals worldwide to arrange drug deals and order killings, local police said Wednesday.
Australian Federal Police said the app -- known as Ghost -- was marketed to underworld figures as "unhackable" and was used by hundreds of suspected criminals from Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
But, unbeknown to users, global policing authorities had hacked the network and were watching as the criminals discussed trafficking illicit drugs, money laundering, homicides and serious violence.
Authorities finally made their move on Tuesday and Wednesday, arresting criminals from Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Canada and Australia -- including the 32-year-old "mastermind" of the app.
Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle said law enforcement from nine countries had been involved in the international sting.
"Today we have made it clear that no matter how hidden criminal networks think they are, they can't evade our collective effort," she said.
The policing agency is expected to provide an update on the matter on Wednesday.
The Ghost app -- a kind of WhatsApp for criminals -- was created nine years ago and could only be accessed via modified smartphones that sold for about Aus$2,350 (U.S.$1,590).
The hefty price tag included a six-month subscription to the Ghost app and tech support, Australian police said Wednesday, and users were required to purchase an ongoing subscription.
French police traced the creator's location to Australia and joined forces with local police to target the platform.
The app's creator regularly pushed out software updates but in 2022, Australian police were able to hijack those updates to access encrypted content.
For two years, authorities watched as Ghost became more popular and criminals exchanged messages -- including 50 death threats which Australian police said they were able to thwart.
There were 376 phones with the Ghost app installed in Australia alone.
In one case, police intercepted an image of a gun to someone's head and were able to save that person within the hour, Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Kirsty Schofield said.
The force's deputy commissioner, Ian McCartney, said Wednesday it was "a particularly serious challenge" for law enforcement to get access to encrypted messages.
Hacking into encrypted apps on cell phones has become increasingly challenging for authorities, but not impossible.
Three years ago, a similar network -- called ANOM -- led to 800 people arrested worldwide.
Little did they know, ANOM was produced and distributed by the FBI, allowing U.S. and other nations' law enforcement to decrypt 27 million messages, many of which related to criminal activity.
McCartney said after the ANOM network unraveled, Ghost started to "fill that space".
He added law enforcement was aware of other similar encrypted apps and said he hoped some of these would be shut down within 12 months.
McCartney said the Ghost app creator from New South Wales lived at home with his parents and did not have a criminal history.
The "computer geek" was driven by profit and was "slightly surprised" when police arrested him Tuesday, McCartney said.
Schofield added that police had to act quickly given the man had the ability to "wipe the communications on the system".
"Our tactical teams were able to secure him and the devices within 30 seconds of entry," she said.
The 32-year-old man was charged with five offenses, including supporting a criminal organization, which carries a sentence of up to three years imprisonment.
Another 38 people have been arrested across Australia.
© 2024 AFP
6 Comments
Login to comment
Christopher
How dumb do you have to be to trust an APP. Everything can be hacked.
Carlo Gambino for those of you who do know who he was. Ran the Gambino crime family for decades.
He said. Never talk on the phone. Ever! Using an APP to run a criminal enterprise is nothing like talking on the phone. Its way worse. Its like a global loud speaker all over the world that says. Come bust me Interpol.
Anything and anyone can be hacked. Law enforcement never run out of money or recourses. Especially the three letter ones.
WoodyLee
The problem is NOT the criminals, the problem is the Cell Providers and phone companies that are giving them the LIFE LINE.
2 Year Old
Say what?
The problem IS the criminals, as they are committing big/deadly crimes.
@Woodylee … So drunk drivers are not the problem, it is the roads that are the problem? I think not.
Peter Neil
WoodyLeeToday 05:28 pm JST
hilarious. i guess it never dawned on you that cell service companies work with law enforcement in these operations.
theFu
There are a few encryption tools that have never been cracked unless the passphrase became known. The good news is that they are typically hard to use, so most people struggle to set up the required software AND use it.
The weakest part of any encryption chain is always the human at either end. Humans are usually bad at security because it isn't usually convenient.
The guy that made the app was smart in that he controlled the hardware AND the software. But it is hard to be an expert on everything to have a secure communications device connected into other networks. 1 person seldom, if ever, has that expertise.
And watch out where you get your batteries from too.
Desert Tortoise
Would you blame the phone company if crooks used a copper phone line connection, you know an old school phone, to discuss a criminal plot? Do you blame the pen and paper manufacturer for facilitating a ransom note?