A new global police operation against dark web marketplace users identified thousands of individuals last month, signaling unprecedented international cooperation between dozens of major law enforcement agencies across three continents. The operation was designed to spotlight law enforcement's long arm extending into the digital underground.
"This is to send a message," an FBI spokesperson told CyberScoop.
Also:
The new sweep of international identifications, arrests, and the creation of a flashy website on the dark web was meant to grab attention and make headlines this week. The FBI in particular hoped to echo and amplify the message sent by Director James Comey in 2015 when he told Congress that criminals who use Tor to hide from the FBI are "kidding themselves."
Instead, repeated American election controversies involving the FBI stole the spotlight, so that almost nothing else out of the bureau has received any media attention in recent days. That's how a press-savvy international police operation involving hundreds of investigations went largely unnoticed when it was first made public earlier this week.
Nice try LEO, halloween was three days ago..