Operation Endgame

This presentation forms part of the CTA's Threat Intelligence Practitioners' Summit

Thursday 3 October 09:30 - 10:00, Small Talks room

Nick Kiefer (BKA) & Bogdan Badiu (EC3)

Operation Endgame adopted an international and comprehensive approach to address the growing threat of botnets being used as initial access points for ransomware and other malware. During our action week, the command-and-control infrastructure of multiple botnets was dismantled, affected systems were disinfected, victims were notified, and several suspects were arrested. Our investigation into these so-called 'Droppers' focused on combining collaboration and targeted operations, including actor-focused interventions, sanctions, and victim notifications. In this presentation we will explore the complexity of combating multiple botnets at scale and share key insights and lessons learned from this operation.

Nick Kiefer

Nick Kiefer is a member of the cybercrime investigation team at the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). With several years of experience as a police officer, he has played a key role in numerous cybercrime investigations, including the takedown of Emotet and Operation Endgame. In August 2023, Nick served as the case leader and was responsible for the German operations in the Qakbot takedown.

Bogdan Badiu

Bogdan Badiu is a highly accomplished cybercrime investigator and cybersecurity professional with a career spanning over 17 years. He embarked on his journey as a cybercrime investigator in 2007, rapidly establishing himself as a skilled and dedicated expert in the field. His early career in the Romanian Police was marked by his significant role as the Chief of the Bureau for Investigating Cyber Attacks, where he demonstrated exceptional prowess in tackling complex cybercrime cases.

In 2017, Bogdan joined Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) as a specialist and later a case coordinator. Over the past seven years, he has been a key figure in coordinating international law enforcement cooperation for large-scale operations against various cybercriminal groups such as CTB-Locker, Gandcrab & Revil, Hive, Emotet, Op. Morpheus and Op. Endgame.

His strategic approach and deep understanding of cyber threats have been instrumental in disrupting numerous high-profile cybercriminal groups, significantly contributing to the safety and security of the European Union and beyond.

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