In a groundbreaking international effort spanning a year, the Nigeria Police Force successfully apprehended the suspected mastermind of the notorious SilverTerrier cybercrime group. This transnational syndicate, accused of orchestrating extensive phishing campaigns and business email compromise schemes targeting both companies and individuals, has been under investigation as part of Operation Delilah.
Interpol, in a recent statement, revealed that the 37-year-old Nigerian suspect allegedly led the cybercrime ring responsible for a myriad of malicious activities. The operation involved tracking the individual's movements, culminating in his arrest at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos in March 2022.
Singapore-based cybersecurity firm Group-IB played a pivotal role in the arrest by providing crucial threat intelligence. The collaboration with law enforcement began in May 2021, ultimately leading to the successful apprehension of the SilverTerrier group's suspected head.
Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, another key contributor to the investigation, disclosed that the unnamed suspect had been active in cybercrime since 2015. He was reportedly involved in creating over 240 domains, with 50 serving as command-and-control centers for malware like LokiBot.
Remarkably, the cybercriminal managed to evade arrest in a previous sting operation in June 2021 by fleeing Nigeria. However, his attempt to return home in March 2022 proved unsuccessful, leading to his capture. Prior to his arrest, he even tried to sell his Autobiography Special Edition Range Rover on Facebook for 5.8 million Naira (approximately $14,000).
This development marks the third major law enforcement action against the SilverTerrier gang, also known as TMT. In November 2020, three alleged members were arrested for compromising the security of at least 500,000 government and private sector entities across more than 150 countries since 2017. Subsequently, in an operation dubbed Falcon earlier this year, an additional 11 members were apprehended.
The international collaboration in Operation Delilah underscores the growing importance of global cooperation in combating cybercrime. As cyber threats continue to evolve, such coordinated efforts become imperative to bring cybercriminals to justice and protect individuals and organizations worldwide.
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