US Charges Anonymous Sudan Members in DDoS Cybercrime Case

US authorities have charged two Sudanese nationals linked to a significant distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) cybercrime network.

The charges come after an international investigation into the activities of Anonymous Sudan, a cybercrime group responsible for launching over 35,000 DDoS attacks globally.

These attacks have caused more than $10m in damages, primarily targeting US entities, including government agencies and major technology platforms.

Europol’s Role in Coordinating the Investigation

Europol played a key role in coordinating the European aspects of the investigation, facilitating collaboration among law enforcement agencies in Sweden, Luxembourg and France.

The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the European Investment Bank also contributed intelligence that helped map the criminal infrastructure behind the attacks.

Europol’s coordination efforts ensured swift action and cross-border cooperation, which were critical to identifying the perpetrators and supporting US authorities.

Victims of Anonymous Sudan’s attacks include sensitive government bodies such as the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Department of Defense (DoD), FBI and the US State Department, as well as critical infrastructure and private sector organizations in both the US and Europe.

The group’s DDoS tool was sold as a service to other criminal actors,

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Operation PowerOFF: A Global Initiative Against Cybercrime

In March 2024, the FBI, in partnership with the US Attorney’s Office, obtained seizure warrants to dismantle Anonymous Sudan’s DDoS infrastructure.

This operation led to the seizure of computer servers used to launch and control the attacks, as well as accounts containing the source code for the group’s DDoS tools.

These actions are part of a broader international initiative known as Operation PowerOFF, which aims to disrupt DDoS-for-hire services and hold those responsible accountable.

In addition to Europol’s coordination, the FBI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California were key players in the investigation.