A global law enforcement operation supported by Europol has led to the shutdown of more than 373,000 dark web websites linked to fraudulent activity and the advertisement of child sexual abuse material.
The operation, known as ‘Operation Alice’, was launched on 9 March 2026 under the leadership of German authorities, with participation from 23 countries. The investigation, which began in 2021, initially targeted a dark web platform referred to as ‘Alice with Violence CP’.
According to Europol, investigators identified a single operator responsible for managing a network of hundreds of thousands of onion domains. These websites advertised child sexual abuse material and cybercrime-as-a-service offerings, including access to stolen financial data and systems.
Authorities state that the services were fraudulent, designed to extract payments without delivering the advertised material.
The operation has so far resulted in the identification of 440 customers worldwide, with further investigations ongoing against more than 100 individuals. Law enforcement agencies also seized 105 servers and multiple electronic devices during the coordinated action.
Europol provided analytical support, facilitated information exchange, and assisted in tracing cryptocurrency transactions linked to the network.
Authorities also reported that measures were taken throughout the investigation to identify and protect children at risk. An international arrest warrant has been issued for the suspected operator, who is reported to have generated significant profits through the scheme.
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The eSafety Commissioner has reported that AI companion chatbots are failing to adequately protect children from harmful content, following a transparency review of services including Character.AI, Nomi, Chai, and Chub AI.
The findings also indicate that most platforms relied on self-declared age verification and did not consistently monitor inputs or outputs across all AI models used.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that AI companions, often presented as sources of emotional or social support, are increasingly used by children but may expose them to harmful interactions.
She noted that none of the reviewed services had ‘meaningful age checks’ in place and highlighted concerns about the absence of safeguards related to self-harm and suicide content.
The report further identifies that several platforms in Australia did not refer users to crisis or mental health support services when harmful interactions were detected.
It also notes gaps in monitoring for unlawful content and limited investment in trust and safety staffing, with some providers reporting no dedicated moderation personnel.
The findings follow the implementation of Australia’s Age-Restricted Material Codes, which require online services, including AI chatbots, to prevent access to age-inappropriate content and provide appropriate safety measures.
These obligations complement existing Unlawful Material Codes and Standards, with non-compliance potentially leading to civil penalties.
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Canada has increased crypto oversight, revoking registrations for nearly three dozen firms due to compliance failures. The move follows investigative reporting that uncovered widespread irregularities in the sector.
The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada removed 23 companies in one week, adding to previous actions against about a dozen other crypto firms.
Officials described the shift as part of a broader effort to address risks tied to virtual currencies, including fraud and money laundering.
Findings from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ investigation highlighted clusters of crypto businesses operating without proper registration, particularly in Toronto.
Many of these services reportedly focused on converting digital assets into cash, raising concerns about gaps in oversight and compliance with anti-money laundering rules.
Authorities also flagged suspicious transaction patterns, including activity linked to wallets allegedly associated with Iran-backed groups. While regulators have promised further action, analysts warn that delayed enforcement and structural weaknesses may continue to expose the system to illicit financial flows.
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The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has called on online service providers to strengthen measures against digital harms targeting women and girls, as part of a commitment to halve such violence within a decade.
In a letter published on 23 March 2026, Liz Kendall outlined expectations for platforms operating under the Online Safety Act.
The letter states that the government has strengthened criminal law and regulatory frameworks, including new offences related to harmful pornographic practices and intimate image abuse.
It confirms that sharing or threatening to share sexually explicit deepfakes without consent constitutes a criminal offence, while the non-consensual creation of such content has also been criminalised and is being designated as a priority offence under the Act.
Further measures include amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to ban so-called ‘nudification’ tools and extend illegal content duties to AI chatbots.
The government is also introducing a requirement for platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, with a focus on reducing repeated reporting burdens for victims.
The Secretary of State urged companies to implement recommendations from Ofcom’s guidance on online safety for women and girls, including risk assessments, stronger privacy settings, and limits on the visibility of harmful content.
Platforms are expected to comply by the end of the year, with progress to be monitored.
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A proposal to restrict minors’ online activity is gaining momentum in Ecuador, where lawmakers are considering a social media ban for children under 15 as part of a broader response to rising organised crime.
Under discussion in the National Assembly, the initiative introduced by Assembly member Katherine Pacheco Machuca would amend the Code of Childhood and Adolescence to block access to platforms enabling public interaction, content sharing, and messaging. The proposal defines social networks broadly, covering services that allow users to create accounts, connect with others, and exchange content.
Unlike similar debates elsewhere, the justification for the social media ban is rooted less in mental health or privacy concerns and more in security. Ecuador has experienced a sharp deterioration in public safety, with rising homicide rates, expanding criminal networks, and increasing pressure on state institutions.
Recent findings from Ecuador’s Organised Crime Observatory indicate that around 27% of minors approached by criminal groups report initial contact through social media platforms. Surveys conducted by ChildFund Ecuador further suggest that vulnerable adolescents are increasingly exposed to recruitment tactics that combine economic incentives with normalised portrayals of violence.
In that context, the proposed social media ban is framed as a preventative measure against criminal recruitment rather than solely a child protection tool. The initiative forms part of a wider regulatory shift, including new cybersecurity legislation and draft laws targeting recruitment practices conducted through digital channels.
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AI-generated deepfake abuse is emerging as a serious global threat, with women and girls disproportionately affected by non-consensual and harmful digital content. Advances in AI make it easy to create manipulated content that can spread across platforms within minutes and reach millions.
Data highlights the scale of the issue. The vast majority of deepfake content online consists of explicit material, overwhelmingly targeting women.
Accessible and often free tools have lowered the barrier to entry, enabling widespread misuse. At the same time, the ability to endlessly replicate and share such content makes removal nearly impossible once it is published.
Legal responses remain fragmented, with many pre-existing laws leaving gaps in addressing AI-generated deepfake abuse. Enforcement issues, such as cross-border challenges and limited digital forensics capabilities, make it unlikely that perpetrators will face consequences.
Pressure is mounting on governments and technology platforms to act. Calls for reform include clearer legislation, faster obligations to remove content, improved law enforcement capabilities, and stronger support systems for victims.
Without coordinated global action, deepfake abuse is set to expand alongside the technologies enabling it.
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A large-scale fraud scheme using AI-generated music has exposed vulnerabilities in streaming platforms and royalty systems. Billions of fake streams were used to divert payments away from legitimate artists and rights holders.
The scheme ran from 2017 to 2024 and involved uploading hundreds of thousands of AI-generated tracks. Automated programs were then used to stream the songs at scale, inflating play counts and generating revenue.
The operation relied on thousands of bot accounts, bulk email registrations and cloud-based systems. Streaming activity was spread across many tracks to reduce detection and maintain consistent earnings over time.
Michael Smith, a 54-year-old from North Carolina, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court. Prosecutors say he obtained more than $10 million and agreed to forfeit over $8 million in proceeds.
Authorities say the case highlights how AI and automation can be used to manipulate digital platforms. The court will determine the final sentence as concerns grow over similar schemes.
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The FBI’s New York Field Office has warned that fraudulent tokens impersonating the agency are being airdropped to Tron wallets, with recipients threatened with ‘total block’ of assets unless they submit personal information via phishing sites.
At least 728 wallets were affected, some holding over US$1 million in USDT, when the warning was issued on 19 March.
The scam warns users that their wallets are ‘under investigation’ and instructs them to complete an online anti-money-laundering form. The FBI urged crypto holders to ignore these messages and avoid entering any personal data on linked websites.
Attackers exploit Tron for its fast and low-cost transactions, using bots to distribute tokens widely and generate spoofed addresses.
Impersonation scams have surged dramatically in 2025, with Chainalysis reporting a 1,400% year-over-year increase. Total crypto fraud losses are estimated at US$17 billion, with AI-assisted scams proving far more profitable than traditional schemes.
The FBI previously ran a blockchain sting using Ethereum tokens, resulting in indictments and the seizure of millions in assets.
The bureau encourages anyone who receives the fake FBI tokens to report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Centre to help combat ongoing crypto fraud.
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A newly identified cyberattack known as ‘DarkSword’ is raising concerns about the security of iPhone devices, following reports that millions of users could be exposed to rapid data extraction techniques.
Cybersecurity researchers indicate that the attack targets specific iOS versions, exploiting vulnerabilities in the Safari browser and a graphics processing feature known as WebGPU.
Once access is gained, attackers can retrieve sensitive information, including messages, emails and location data, within minutes, while removing traces of the intrusion almost immediately.
Estimates suggest that a significant share of global iPhone users may be affected, with hundreds of millions of devices running vulnerable software versions.
The scale of exposure remains uncertain, particularly as experts continue to assess whether additional versions of iOS may also be impacted.
Researchers have associated the campaign with a threat actor previously identified by Google, with observed activity across multiple regions.
Such a development highlights growing concerns about the evolution of mobile cyber threats, where increasingly sophisticated techniques are being deployed beyond traditional state-level operations.
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BTQ Technologies has deployed Bitcoin Improvement Proposal BIP-360 on its Bitcoin Quantum Testnet v0.3.0, marking the first live test of the proposal. The upgrade introduces a quantum-resistant transaction model, Pay-to-Merkle-Root, designed to strengthen Bitcoin’s long-term security.
BIP-360 focuses on mitigating a vulnerability linked to Taproot’s key-path spending mechanism, which can expose public keys on-chain. Such exposure may become a risk if future quantum computers are capable of exploiting cryptographic weaknesses using advanced algorithms.
The testnet adds new consensus rules, post-quantum signatures, and full transaction lifecycle testing. Faster one-minute block times and adjusted fee structures have been introduced to accommodate larger and more complex signatures.
Growing global attention on quantum threats adds urgency to the development. US, EU, and Canadian authorities are setting timelines for post-quantum cryptography to protect future system security.
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