Europol's Project Compass has targeted The Com, a decentralized network of mostly young individuals conducting ransomware attacks, financial extortion, and the coercion of children. The operation across 28 countries has resulted in 30 arrests and the identification of 179 perpetrators since its launch in January 2025. This article is a law enforcement announcement and does not contain technical vulnerability details such as a CVSS score, affected software versions, patches, or workarounds.
Law enforcement agencies across 28 countries have spent the past year building cases against a loosely organized collective known as The Com, a decentralized network of mostly teenagers and young adults linked to high-profile ransomware attacks, financial extortion, and the coercion of vulnerable children. Europol announced the first operational results of Project Compass, reporting 30 arrests and the full or partial identification of 179 perpetrators since the initiative launched in January 2025. Investigators have also … More → The post Europol goes after The Com’s ransomware and extortion networks appeared first on Help Net Security .