US House Hearing on Offensive Cyber Operations
Background and Timeline On 13 January 2026, the US House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection held a hearing titled “Defense through Offense: Examining U.S. Cyber Capabilities to Deter and Disrupt Malign Foreign Activity Targeting the Homeland.” The hearing was convened in response to a series of high-profile cyber intrusions by state-sponsored actors, […]
BreachForums Data Leak Affecting 325,000 User
Background and Timeline In August 2025, the notorious cybercrime marketplace BreachForums suffered a major data breach, exposing the details of approximately 324,000 user accounts. The incident came to light in January 2026 when the stolen data was posted on the site shinyhunte[.]rs, accompanied by a manifesto from a hacker known as “James”. Modus Operandi The […]
Rescue of Three Belagavi Youth from Cyber Slavery in Cambodia
Background and Timeline In January 2026, Belagavi police in Karnataka, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), rescued three local youths—Akash Kaganikar, Omkar Lokhande, and Sanskar Lokhande—from a cybercrime syndicate in Cambodia. The trio had been lured abroad with promises of high-paying data entry jobs, only […]
Multi-Crore Cyber Fraud Exposed in Garhwa; Links to Tamil Nadu and Delhi
Background and Timeline In January 2026, authorities in Garhwa district, Jharkhand, uncovered a multi-crore cyber fraud operation with suspected links to organized networks in Tamil Nadu and Delhi. The investigation began after banks reported unusual cash withdrawals and flagged several customer service point (CSP) accounts for suspicious activity. Modus Operandi The fraudsters exploited gaps in […]
APCID Rescue of 22 Youths from Myanmar Cybercrime Compound
Background and Timeline In January 2026, the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (APCID), in collaboration with central agencies, rescued 22 Indian youths trapped in a cybercrime compound in Myawaddy, Myanmar. The operation was part of a broader effort to combat the trafficking of Indian nationals into Southeast Asian scam hubs, a trend that has escalated […]
Rourkela Mule Account Racket Involving CUB Employee
Background and Timeline On 13 January 2026, Rourkela police in Odisha arrested seven individuals, including Bipin Kumar Shaw, a relationship manager at City Union Bank (CUB), for their roles in a mule account racket. The arrests followed a months-long investigation into suspicious banking activities linked to cyber frauds across India. Modus Operandi The syndicate exploited […]
Delhi Police Inter-State Cybercrime Syndicate (₹4.7 Lakh Seized)
Background and Timeline In early January 2026, the Delhi Police’s East District, as part of ‘Operation Cyber Hawk,’ dismantled a sophisticated inter-state cybercrime syndicate operating across Delhi, Moradabad, and Bareilly. The investigation was triggered by a complaint from a Tamil Nadu resident who reported a fraudulent deduction of ₹6,000 from her bank account in September […]
Belgian Hospitals Paralyzed by Cyber Attack, Patients Transferred
Background and Timeline On 13 January 2026, AZ Monica hospitals in Antwerp and Deurne, Belgium, suffered a major cyberattack that forced the shutdown of critical computer systems. The attack led to the cancellation of all surgeries, the transfer of critical patients, and significant disruption to healthcare services over multiple days. Modus Operandi While the exact […]
Microsoft’s Takedown of RedVDS Cybercrime-as-a-Service
Background and Timeline On 14 January 2026, Microsoft announced a coordinated legal action in the US and UK to disrupt RedVDS, a global cybercrime subscription service responsible for millions in fraud losses. The takedown, conducted in partnership with international law enforcement agencies including Europol and German authorities, resulted in the seizure of key infrastructure and […]
Noida Man Arrested for Trafficking Victims to Southeast Asia Cyber Fraud Rings
Background and Timeline In January 2026, Noida police arrested Shubham Pundir, an agent from Jalalpur, Shamli, for trafficking Indian youth into cybercrime cartels operating in Southeast Asia. The case was cracked after a victim, rescued from Myanmar, provided crucial information about the network’s operations. Modus Operandi Pundir used Instagram to advertise lucrative data-entry jobs in […]