Five Chinese nationals and one Singaporean man have been taken into custody by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on suspicion of engaging in illegal cyber activity within the nation.
This is the result of numerous simultaneous raids carried out by over 160 law enforcement officers at several sites on September 9, 2024.
The six males, aged 32 to 42, are thought to be associated with a “global syndicate” that engages in harmful online activity. Cash and technological gadgets were taken as part of the operation.
A 42-year-old Chinese national from Bidadari Park Drive is among those detained; it was discovered that he was in possession of a laptop containing login credentials for web servers used by well-known hacking groups. The threat actors’ identities remained secret.
Furthermore, the individual was found in possession of five laptops, six cell phones, over S$24,000 (USD$18,400) in cash, and roughly USD$850,000 worth of bitcoin.
Arrested from Mount Sinai Avenue, three other Chinese nationals are alleged to have had laptops with hacking tools, “specialized software to control malware” (like PlugX, a remote access Trojan frequently used by Chinese state-sponsored groups), and personal information linked to foreign internet service providers.
Along with the cash, the three individuals had seven laptops, eleven cell phones, and more than S$54,600 (USD$41,900) taken by the authorities.
On Cairnhill Road, a 38-year-old Chinese national was also taken into custody on charges of “offering to purchase personally identifiable information that was believed to have been obtained through illegal means.”
The sixth individual is a 34-year-old Singaporean national who lives on Hougang Avenue. It is thought that he helped the other individuals with their nefarious actions.
According to the Computer Misuse Act of 1993, the defendants are accused of obtaining illegal access to computer material, holding personal information without permission, and keeping software that could be exploited to launch additional criminal assaults.
The citizen of Singapore is also accused of aiding and abetting the securing of unauthorized access to websites, a crime that carries a maximum fine of S$5,000 (USD$3,830) or a maximum two-year jail sentence, or both, for first-time offenders.
On Wednesday, a sixth Chinese national was also taken into custody and accused of giving the Singaporean guy instructions to sign up for a Singtel broadband package.
“This is a significant operation as the individuals are suspected to be carrying out global malicious cyber operations from Singapore,” the SPF said. “We have zero tolerance of the use of Singapore to conduct criminal activities, including illegal cyber activities. We will deal severely with perpetrators.”
Also read: Unveiling the Ethical Imperatives: Navigating the Intersection of AI and Cybersecurity
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