Dutch Police Dismantle Redline and Meta Malware Servers

On October 28, 2024, the Dutch National Police announced that it had taken control of all servers powering the two malicious programs, Redline and Meta. Used for several years, these two pieces of software are designed to steal passwords saved in web browsers, especially in Google Chrome.

With assistance from American authorities, the Dutch police recovered the source code of Redline and Meta and took control of their administration panels. Investigators also obtained a list of “clients” who rented the two malwares for a specified period. Several indictments accompany the operation, including one from the U.S. Department of Justice targeting the alleged administrator of Redline, Russian citizen Maxim Rudometov.

The Dutch police also posted a fake commercial, using tech giants’ branding style to mock Redline and Meta users and administrators. The video humorously presents a supposed “update” of the malware, ultimately leading its users to jail.

Law enforcement agencies are increasingly adopting the flashy communication styles of certain cybercriminal groups. The Cronos operation against the LockBit ransomware gang in February 2024 was the first to initiate this strategy, openly ridiculing the implicated cybercriminals. The admitted goal of this tactic is to tarnish the gangs’ reputations and irritate their members, hoping to lead them into making mistakes. It also serves to bolster the public image of cybersecurity police units.