International law enforcement dismantles 1st VPN used by ransomware gangs
Big news in the cyber world: an international coalition of law enforcement agencies, including Europol, just took down First VPN, a service that was helping at least 25 ransomware gangs hide their tracks online.
The operation happened on May 21, 2026. According to the FBI, First VPN let hackers cover up attacks and run botnets from servers spread across 27 countries.
Europol said the service allowed anonymous connections and payments.
First VPN advertised no logs
First VPN wasn't just any VPN: it was a go-to tool for cybercriminals involved in ransomware, major fraud, and data theft.
Europol says it kept popping up in big investigations because it helped criminals stay hidden and even advertised its no logs policy on shady forums.
With its servers dismantled and admin arrested, law enforcement hopes this makes things tougher for online criminals moving forward.