An international coalition of law enforcement agencies has shut down First VPN, a virtual private network service exploited by at least 25 ransomware gangs, and arrested its administrator.
First VPN's Criminal Usage
The FBI reported that First VPN was instrumental for cybercriminals who used it to conceal their activities while engaging in scanning the internet, operating botnets, launching distributed denial-of-service attacks, and conducting scams. The service had its servers spread across 27 countries, enabling widespread criminal activity.
Europol highlighted that First VPN offered more than just anonymous connections; it provided services specifically marketed for cybercriminals, including anonymous payments and hidden infrastructure. The service was deeply integrated into the cybercrime ecosystem and appeared in nearly every significant cybercrime investigation supported by Europol in recent years.
Advertising on Cybercrime Forums
The VPN advertised its services on several cybercrime forums, including at least two Russian-speaking marketplaces, offering protection against identification. “We are for anonymity. We do not store any logs that would allow us or third parties to link an IP address in a specific period of time with a user of our service,” First VPN declared in one promotional post seen by TechCrunch. They claimed the only data stored were email and username, purportedly making it impossible to link online activity to specific users.
Discovery and Arrest
Despite these claims, Europol has informed First VPN users that they have been identified, indicating that investigators acquired the user database and pinpointed VPN connections. This discovery exposed thousands of users connected to cybercrime activities.
The international investigation, launched in December 2021, led to the arrest of First VPN’s administrator and the dismantling of dozens of servers, effectively disrupting its infrastructure.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/21/law-enforcement-shuts-down-vpn-service-used-by-two-dozen-ransomware-gangs/
