Festnahme: NRW gelingt Schlag gegen Qilin-Hacker
Monatelange Ermittlungen, internationale Zusammenarbeit und schließlich der Zugriff: Wie Ermittler aus NRW die Qilin-Gruppe infiltrierten – und jetzt eine Festnahme vermelden können.
On May 13th, North Rhine-Westphalia's law enforcement managed a significant victory against the globally active Russian hacking group Qilin. Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) announced that they had apprehended one of the group's key members, a 28-year-old Russian national, who was extradited to Germany the previous Friday. This marked a historic achievement in the fight against cybercrime.
Reul explained that instead of enjoying sushi during his planned Japanese vacation, the suspect now faces life in a German correctional facility. Since 2024, Qilin has ransomware targeted nearly 4,000 companies worldwide, with 150 in Germany, including 30 in North Rhine-Westphalia. The true number of victims is likely even higher, with ransom demands totaling nearly $3 billion, of which $140 million had already been paid, according to Reul.
Qilin is considered one of the most active and ruthless criminal gangs globally. Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach (Green) praised the meticulous work of German investigators who had been monitoring the group for months before successfully tracking down and apprehending the hacker. The investigation involved officers from the Landeskriminalamt and the Central and Contact Point for Cybercrime (ZAC).
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