Operation Endgame 3.0 has been announced as a major international success, following coordinated action by multiple countries working alongside Europol, the FBI, and private sector partners. The operation targeted the infrastructure behind three significant malware networks, disrupting systems that play a central role in enabling global ransomware activity. CrowdStrike provided key intelligence that helped guide investigators toward the networks powering these criminal operations.
The campaign represents the latest phase in a broader effort to dismantle the tools and services relied on by cybercriminals, including initial-access brokers, loaders and infostealers — components that form the early stages of the ransomware kill chain. By focusing on the delivery mechanisms that enable attacks rather than exclusively pursuing ransomware operators, the operation aimed to inflict broader and more sustained disruption across the eCrime ecosystem.
Adam Meyers, Head of Counter Adversary Operations at CrowdStrike, who were a private secor partner said, “Operation Endgame 3.0 shows what’s possible when law enforcement and the private sector work together. Disrupting the front end of the ransomware kill chain — the initial-access brokers, loaders, and infostealers — instead of just the operators themselves has a ripple effect through the eCrime ecosystem. By targeting the infrastructure that fuels ransomware, this operation struck the ransomware economy at its source. But disruption isn’t eradication. Defenders should use this window to harden their environments, close visibility gaps, and hunt for the next wave of tools these adversaries will deploy. Continued intelligence sharing between governments and private-sector partners like CrowdStrike will be key to maintaining this momentum and driving a lasting impact.”
The success of Operation Endgame 3.0 underscores the growing role of public–private cooperation in confronting global cybercrime. While the coordinated action has delivered meaningful disruption, security leaders caution that defenders must continue strengthening their environments as cybercriminal groups work to rebuild lost infrastructure.
