On Thursday, the U.S. government announced that it had seized a website used to sell malware designed to spy on computers and cellphones.
The malware is called NetWire, and for years several cybersecurity companies, and at least one government agency, have written reports detailing how hackers were using the malware. While NetWire was also reportedly advertised on hacking forums, the malware owners marketed it on a website that made it look like it was a legitimate remote administration tool.
“NetWire is specifically designed to help businesses complete a variety of tasks connected with maintaining computer infrastructure. It is a single ‘command center’ where you can keep a list of all your remote computers, monitor their statuses and inventory, and connect to any of them for maintenance purposes,” read an archived version of the site.
In the press release announcing the seizure of the website, which was hosted at worldwiredlabs.com, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California said that the FBI started an investigation into the site in 2020. The feds allege the site was used to commit international money laundering, fraud and computer crimes.
A spokesperson for the U. …
