Canada’s participation in the global day of action against Genesis Market is announced by the National Cybercrime Coordination Center of the RCMP

28 Canadian police departments took part in a global day of action against Genesis Market on April 4, 2023. The targeted operation involved international partners from 17 nations, which led to the identification of domain seizures and enforcement actions against users worldwide.

The advanced stolen credentials that granted access to online accounts and other services were traded on Genesis, an online criminal marketplace. As the first step in committing fraud, hacking into corporations, spreading ransomware, and stealing intellectual property, cybercriminals purchased what the market owners referred to as “bots” that infected victims’ devices through malware or account takeover attacks to gain access, defeat two-factor authentication and other security features. When Genesis Market was taken down, it listed over 2 million identities and more than 1.5 million bots, making it one of the largest facilitators of online criminal activity.

Combatting Beginning Business sector was vital for policing accomplices because of its size. Law enforcement demonstrated that its reach can be as borderless and effective as cybercriminals’ by leveraging domestic and international partnerships.

This international operation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. The RCMP’s National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission collaborated with them to identify a significant number of Genesis Market users in Canada. In order to facilitate participation in the sequential global day of action, they collaborated with 28 Canadian police services. The essential means for sharing this information and enriching targets were provided by the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce and the European Cybercrime Centre of Europol.

On April 4, Canadian police began conducting search warrants, device seizures, and cease-and-desist communications with the assistance of information provided by the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission and Sûreté du Québec played a significant role in investigating high-level users and issuing warrants because the majority of Genesis users in Canada reside in Quebec. In addition, the Sûreté du Québec assisted in coordinating with other authorities based in Québec.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has added stolen victim credentials to HaveIBeenPwned with over 2 million identities listed on Genesis. They encourage everyone to visit the site to see if their identities have been stolen. The Netherlands Police have likewise fostered an entry for individuals to really look at their certifications. Change all of your passwords and notify the relevant organizations where you would use those credentials to access your online accounts if you suspect that your credentials have been stolen. After running an anti-virus check on your device and removing any viruses, If you have been the victim of a cybercrime or fraud in Canada, you are strongly encouraged to consult the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for additional advice on what to do.

Additionally, the RCMP is requesting that the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre be contacted by anyone who has been active on Genesis Market or has been in contact with administrators of Genesis Market.

Strategic partnerships and the willingness of domestic and international partnerships to collaborate in the fight against cybercrime are to blame for this widespread operational success. We would like to express our gratitude to the following partners for facilitating Canadian participation and contributing to the operation:

• United States Federal Bureau of Investigation
• EUROPOL’s European Cybercrime Centre
• EUROJUST
• Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce
• Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Romania
• United Kingdom
• Switzerland
• Australia
• Sweden
• Denmark
• Italy
• Spain
• Poland
• France
• Finland
• New Zealand
• Estonia

The RCMP‘s National Cybercrime Coordination Centre would also like to thank the following Canadian law enforcement for their invaluable cooperation as part of the operation and global action day:

• Sûreté du Québec
• Toronto Police Service
• Victoria Police Department
• Medicine Hat Police Service
• Service de police de Mascouche
• Service de police L’Assomption/St-Sulpice
• Ontario Provincial Police
• H Division – Port Hawkesbury RCMP
• E Division – Coquitlam RCMP
• Service de Police de Terrebonne
• Service de police de la Ville de Repentigny
• Régie intermunicipale de police Thérèse-De Blainville
• York Regional Police
• Peel Regional Police
• Service de police de Laval
• Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal
• Calgary Police Service
• Service de police de Mirabel
• Sûreté du Québec MRC de D’Autray
• Waterloo Regional Police Service
• Woodstock Police Service
• Peel Regional Police
• Service de police de Trois-Rivières
• Edmonton Police Service
• Service de police de l’agglomération de Longueuil
• London Police Service
• Blainville Police
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
• C Division – RCMP