What is Operation Endgame?

Operation Endgame is the largest ever international cooperation between police services and private parties to combat ransomware and cybercrime worldwide. Endgame is part of a broader, sustained international fight against malware. In Operation Endgame, Team High Tech Crime and various other cybercrime teams of Netherlands Police, together with the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, collaborate closely with the authorities of other countries, with the support of Europol and Eurojust.

The parties work together on

• taking down systems;
• tracking down suspects;
• alerting victims;
• disrupting malware used to gain initial access to systems;
• confiscating criminal assets;
• linking online identities to the individuals behind them;
• implementing alternative interventions if no arrest is possible immediately.

Since its launch in 2024, Operation Endgame has already taken down dozens of criminal networks, discovered data of hundreds of millions of victims, successfully implemented alternative interventions, and carried out multiple arrests and premises searches all over the world.

Cybercrime knows no bounds, so the fight against cybercrime also transcends national borders.

Cooperation with private partners

In Operation Endgame, investigative services also cooperate with private-sector partners – like cybersecurity companies, for instance. The police have investigative powers, and private partners often contribute unique technological knowledge or have a different perspective on the internet. Combining this knowledge with investigative powers enables the police to intervene quicker and more effectively.

New campaigns

New campaigns are announced on the Operation Endgame website.