Operation Saffron: Authorities Smash ‘First VPN’ Cybercrime Network

International law enforcement agencies have achieved a massive victory against underground ransomware networks. Specifically, authorities completely dismantled a notorious virtual private network platform. This network served as a primary shield for prominent cybercriminals globally. Investigators in France and the Netherlands spearheaded the joint action, named Operation Saffron. Furthermore, the multi-national effort received critical operational backing from Europol and Eurojust.

Piercing the Underground Shield

For a long time, malicious operators relied on this platform to hide their digital tracks. According to the Europol press release:

“For years, the service, known as ‘First VPN’, was promoted on Russian-speaking cybercrime forums as a trusted tool for remaining beyond the reach of law enforcement.”

Consequently, the platform became deeply embedded in the global cybercrime ecosystem. Threat actors frequently utilized it to launch devastating ransomware attacks, orchestrate corporate data theft, and conduct large-scale fraud. Therefore, the infrastructure appeared in almost every major Europol cyber investigation recently.

Inside the Global Raid

Infrastructure Teardown

The coordinated strike took place between May 19 and May 20. During these action days, law enforcement teams dismantled 33 criminal servers across multiple countries. In addition, police officers conducted a thorough house search in Ukraine. They successfully located and interviewed the primary administrator of the service there. Meanwhile, authorities seized three main web domains: 1vpns.com, 1vpns.net, and 1vpns.org. Furthermore, they knocked down associated Tor onion sites.

As Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, explained:

“Taking it offline removes a critical layer of protection that criminals depended on to operate, communicate and evade law enforcement.”

Turning Seized Data Into Leads

Crucially, investigators did not just stop the servers. Subsequently, they also obtained the complete user database of the network. This breakthrough allowed them to identify the real internet connections behind thousands of cybercriminals. Cybersecurity partner Bitdefender provided vital technical support throughout the complex operation.

As a result of this data harvest, Europol has already compiled 83 intelligence packages. They shared information linked to 506 specific users internationally. Consequently, these fresh operational leads have already advanced 21 high-profile cybercrime cases worldwide.

Immediate Takeaways for Security Teams

This successful First VPN service takedown demonstrates that bulletproof anonymity is a myth. For corporate CISOs, it underscores the value of global law enforcement partnerships. Meanwhile, junior administrators should realize that attacker infrastructure can shift rapidly after a major raid. Finally, organizations must remain vigilant because displaced cybercriminals will quickly seek new channels to hide their malicious operations.