Badges, Bytes and Blackmail

This report analyzes 418 publicly announced law enforcement operations against cybercrime from 2021 to mid-2025, finding that extortion (including ransomware), malware distribution, and hacking are the most targeted offenses, with arrests (29%), takedowns (17%), and charges (14%) as primary actions. The U.S. (DOJ/FBI) leads participation, supported by European agencies and extensive public–private collaboration (74 private entities). Demographics show offenders concentrated in ages 18–44, with Russian nationals most represented (23%), and sanctions increasingly used for cyber espionage/state-aligned cases. The study underscores a global, diversified enforcement posture focusing on both actors and enabling infrastructure.