Facebook has helped the FBI to bust an international hacking ring that stole more than £525million from unsuspecting computer users.
The gang are said to have infected 11million computers with spyware that stole credit card numbers and bank details to net one of the largest cybercrime hauls in history.
They used 'Yahos' malicious software to steal the financial details and other personal information.Ten suspects have been arrested by FBI agents in connection with the hacking.
One of the people in custody lives in Molesey, in Surrey.
The social networking site's security team helped the agents snare the gang after 'Yahos' targeted its users between 2010 and October 2012, the agency said in a statement.
They were able to help identify the criminals and spot affected accounts.
Its 'security systems were able to detect affected accounts and provide tools to remove these threats', the FBI said.
According to the agency, which worked also with the U.S. Department of Justice, the accused hackers employed the 'Butterfly Botnet'.
Botnets are networks of infected computers that can be used in a variety of cyberattacks on personal computers and legitimate online networks and websites.
The FBI said it arrested 10 suspects from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, New Zealand, Peru, the UK, and the U.S.
The agency also executed numerous search warrants and conducted a raft of interviews, it said.
It estimated the total losses from their activities at more than $850m (£525m), without elaborating.
Hard data is tough to come by, but experts say cybercrime is on the rise around the world as PC and mobile computing become more prevalent and as more and more financial transactions shift online.
Courtesy: Daily Mail
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