Law enforcement shuts down First VPN service

An international law enforcement coalition has dismantled First VPN, a virtual private network service heavily utilized by cybercriminals. The FBI and Europol announced the operation, which resulted in the arrest of the service's administrator and the disruption of its infrastructure across 27 countries. First VPN was a critical tool for at least 25 ransomware gangs, enabling them to hide malicious activities, conduct attacks, and manage botnets. The service also offered anonymous payments and infrastructure specifically marketed to hackers. Investigators obtained the service's user database, exposing thousands of individuals linked to cybercrime.