arrest Archives

AppWizard

October 28, 2024

Encrypted messaging apps: a persistent challenge in fighting organised crime

Approximately 700 officers from the Australian Federal Police executed arrest warrants as part of Operation Kraken, aimed at apprehending Jay Je Yoon Jung, the alleged mastermind behind the encrypted messaging application Ghost, used for organized crime. Ghost facilitated various illicit activities, including drug and weapon trafficking, with around 800 devices globally, 376 identified in Australia. The AFP learned about Ghost through Europol and collaborated with the US FBI and Royal Canadian Mounted Police to access its software. The operation highlighted challenges in disrupting encrypted communications, accelerating law enforcement's technological adoption, and preventing future exploitation by criminals. Australia's encryption laws allow law enforcement to access encrypted communications, sparking a debate on privacy and public safety. Continuous innovation, international collaboration, and training for law enforcement are essential to counter organized crime effectively.

AppWizard

October 22, 2024

Kakao’s new AI messaging app will speak in the voices of K-pop idols

Kakao has introduced an AI-integrated messenger app named Kanana at its annual developer conference in Yongin, Gyeonggi. Kanana enhances user experience by summarizing messages, managing schedules, and recommending entertainment based on chat history. The app features two AI characters: Nana for personal use, who can manage appointments and summarize texts, and Kana for group interactions, creating quizzes and summarizing past conversations. Users can set the AI's voice to that of K-pop artists. Kanana is currently in internal testing, with a beta release planned for Kakao employees later this year. Kakao aims to expand its AI product offerings under the Kanana brand, amidst challenges including regulatory issues and competition from Naver. A new AI division named Kanana has been formed, integrating AI R&D personnel from the former Kakao Brain.

AppWizard

September 25, 2024

Telegram will now provide some user data to authorities

Telegram will comply with legal requests from authorities, including providing users' IP addresses and phone numbers when presented with valid search warrants, as announced by CEO Pavel Durov. This decision aims to deter criminal activities on the platform. Durov acknowledged that while most of Telegram's nearly one billion users are law-abiding, a small fraction involved in illicit activities affects the platform's reputation. Following Durov's detention by French authorities over allegations related to criminal activities on Telegram, he criticized the authorities for holding him accountable for third-party actions. Critics have raised concerns about the platform's expansive group feature and its association with misinformation and illegal content. Ukraine has banned the app on state-issued devices to mitigate threats from Russia. Durov's arrest has led to discussions about free speech protections online and concerns about the platform's cooperation with authoritarian governments. Telegram plans to enhance its content moderation efforts using artificial intelligence, but experts express skepticism about whether this will meet legal requirements.

AppWizard

September 21, 2024

Arrests in Canada part of global takedown of criminal messaging app: police – National | Globalnews.ca

Australian police have successfully infiltrated the encrypted communications app Ghost, leading to the arrest of 38 individuals across four states and the disruption of various criminal networks. The alleged mastermind, Jay Je Yoon Jung, 32, has been charged with supporting a criminal organization and profiting from criminal activities, and he will remain in custody until his next court appearance in November. The app has been used by various criminal groups for illegal drug importation and violent acts. Since March, police have monitored over 125,000 messages and 120 video calls, preventing 50 potential incidents of serious harm. Jung developed the Ghost app in 2017 for criminal enterprises, and a global task force targeting it began in 2022, involving agencies such as the FBI and RCMP. Jung allegedly operated a network providing specialized smartphones to criminals, priced at 2,350 Australian dollars, which included a subscription to Ghost.

AppWizard

September 20, 2024

Encrypted ‘Ghost’ App: What We Know

Authorities have dismantled the encrypted chat application Ghost, which was used by criminal networks globally. Launched in 2021, Ghost required users to purchase customized devices for access, ensuring anonymity. It operated with three encryption standards, allowing users to erase messages and reset devices. The app’s servers were located in Iceland and France, with its founder in Australia and financial transactions traced to the United States. Ghost had several thousand users, exchanging around 1,000 messages daily, and was exclusively associated with criminal enterprises, facilitating drug trafficking, weapons dealing, violence, and money laundering. The operation resulted in the arrest of 51 individuals, primarily in Australia, and is part of a trend of law enforcement dismantling encrypted platforms like EncroChat and Sky ECC. Despite these successes, the landscape of encrypted communication remains fragmented, with major services like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram still in use. Law enforcement emphasizes the need for access to communications among criminals while balancing user privacy.

AppWizard

September 20, 2024

International Raids Shut Down Ghost Encrypted Messaging App

Law enforcement agencies from multiple countries executed an operation that dismantled Ghost, an encrypted messaging service used by criminal organizations, resulting in 51 arrests and the confiscation of over .1 million in assets. The alleged creator and administrator of Ghost, a 32-year-old Australian citizen, was among those arrested. The operation led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), in collaboration with international agencies, also resulted in the shutdown of a drug lab in Australia and the seizure of weapons and narcotics. Ghost was developed nine years ago and marketed exclusively to criminals, allowing secure communication via modified mobile phones sold for about ,350. The app featured advanced security measures, including self-destructing messages and multiple encryption standards. It facilitated communications for large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, with around 1,000 messages exchanged daily. Law enforcement began investigating Ghost in 2022, leading to a task force that identified key suppliers and users. The operation, conducted between September 17 and 18, resulted in 38 arrests in Australia, 11 in Ireland, and one each in Canada and Italy. The alleged mastermind faces multiple criminal charges. Ongoing law enforcement actions against encrypted messaging services are causing a shift in criminal communication strategies, leading to a fragmented messaging landscape and presenting challenges for law enforcement.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

Criminal messaging app Ghost shut down in global police sting | The National

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested a suspect linked to the Ghost messaging app, known for its unhackable features and use among criminals. This operation highlights the AFP's efforts to combat cybercrime through strategic actions against encrypted communication platforms. The arrest may influence how law enforcement agencies globally approach similar technologies and raise questions about the future of encrypted messaging apps in criminal activities.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

“Computer geek” in Australia accused of creating Ghost encrypted messaging app for criminal underworld

A 32-year-old Australian, suspected of developing the Ghost app—an encrypted messaging platform used for illicit activities by criminals worldwide—was recently arrested. The app, marketed as "unhackable," attracted users from various regions, unaware their communications were monitored. A coordinated international law enforcement operation led to multiple arrests in nine countries, including Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, and Australia, and dismantled a drug lab in Australia, seizing weapons, drugs, and cash. French police traced the app's creator, who was arrested after police hijacked software updates to gain access to encrypted messages. Over two years, law enforcement intercepted thousands of messages, including 50 death threats, and noted the app had about 1,000 messages exchanged daily among several thousand users globally. The creator, lacking a criminal history and motivated by profit, has been charged with five offenses and denied bail, awaiting further court proceedings alongside others arrested.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

Australian police infiltrate encrypted messaging app Ghost and arrest dozens

Australian police infiltrated the Ghost encrypted communications app, leading to the arrest of 38 suspects across four states. The app's alleged creator, Jay Je Yoon Jung, 32, was charged with supporting a criminal organization and will remain in custody until his next court appearance in November. Arrests related to this operation have also occurred in Canada, Sweden, Ireland, and Italy. The app has reportedly been used by various organized crime groups for drug trafficking and violent acts. Authorities prevented 50 potential murders, kidnappings, or serious injuries by monitoring over 125,000 messages and 120 video calls since March. Ghost was allegedly developed by Jung in 2017 for criminal use, and Australia joined a Europol-led task force targeting the app in 2022. French authorities provided technical resources that helped decrypt communications. Australian police accessed sensitive content by modifying software updates to infiltrate criminals' devices. Jung was arrested at his parents' home in Sydney and allegedly operated a network selling specialized smartphones with a subscription to Ghost, priced at 2,350 Australian dollars.

AppWizard

September 17, 2024

Telegram threatens Ukraine’s national security, Budanov says

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested in Paris on August 24 on charges that he allowed the facilitation of terrorism on his platform. This incident has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials about Telegram's role in the ongoing conflict and its potential misuse for harmful activities. The charges against Durov were formalized by a Paris court on August 28. The situation has prompted calls for increased vigilance among users, potential regulatory scrutiny by governments, and the need for technological solutions to enhance cybersecurity.