TikTok and ByteDance agree to pay up to $400 million to settle US allegations involving children’s data, parental consent and account deletion.
The post TikTok Agrees to $400M Settlement Over Children’s Privacy appeared first on TechRepublic.
TikTok and ByteDance finalize a massive $400 million settlement with the US Department of Justice, resolving severe violations of children's privacy laws.
Related Posts:
The post TikTok Secures $400 Million Privacy Settlement appeared first on Daily CyberSecurity.
The U.S. Department of Justice has seized more than 1,000 illegal World Cup streaming domains accused of broadcasting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches without authorization, marking a major enforcement action against digital piracy during the tournament. The domains were seized in three separate actions under U.S. copyright law as part of Operation Offsides, an initiative targeting websites involved in unauthorized World Cup broadcasts.
The latest action includes nearly 400 websites seized by the end of June, according to the Department of Justice. The investigation was carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
According to an affidavit filed in support of a seizure warrant in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the seized domains were used to offer copyright-protected content through real-time streams of 2026 World Cup matches as they were being played and first broadcast.
HSI special agents confirmed that the domains were actively broadcasting World Cup matches without authorization. The domains were identified with assistance from FIFA, with additional information provided by beIN Media Group, NBC Universal, the Motion Picture Association’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Brothers.
FIFA holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is being hosted across multiple cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The U.S. action is part of Operation Offsides, which focuses on identifying and seizing websites facilitating unauthorized broadcasts of World Cup matches.
The operation is led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and is being conducted with HSI Washington, D.C., HSI Attaché offices, private sector organizations and law enforcement partners globally.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said the effort to seize more than 1,000 domains was aimed at protecting intellectual property rights and reducing risks to consumers from malicious software associated with some illicit streaming services.
[caption id="attachment_113257" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
Source: The U.S. Department of Justice[/caption]
HSI Deputy Executive Associate Director Matthew Millhollin also warned that users accessing unauthorized streaming platforms could face risks including malware and payment information theft.
The U.S. enforcement action was accompanied by international efforts under Operation Red Card, which targeted digital piracy and counterfeiting connected to the World Cup across the Western Hemisphere.
The Justice Department’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program coordinated enforcement efforts involving Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru.
The coordinated actions resulted in hundreds of illegal streaming sites being blocked, including 14 in Argentina, 223 in Ecuador, 28 in Peru, 309 in Brazil, 256 in the Dominican Republic and 1,140 in Colombia.
Colombian authorities also conducted 13 nationwide search-and-seizure operations targeting counterfeit sports apparel, resulting in 11 arrests and convictions.
On July 10, authorities launched Phase II of Operation Red Card in Colombia, conducting simultaneous operations in Bogotá, Soacha, Maríalabaja, Manatí and Sincerín.
An ICHIP-mentored cybercrime prosecutorial team from the Colombian Attorney General’s Office arrested four members of the cybercriminal group Los Ciberinfiltrados. According to the Justice Department, the group had illegally accessed telecommunications systems since 2024 and sold pirated streaming content, including World Cup matches.
The group allegedly used fraudulent credentials, VPNs, interception of security codes and manipulation of corporate system profiles to distribute the pirated content.
In Europe, ICHIP Bucharest also coordinated with Europol and international counterparts to address illegal streaming activities during the World Cup.
The latest action follows a June 2026 announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice involving the seizure of nearly 400 websites accused of illegally broadcasting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.
That earlier enforcement action, also conducted under Operation Offsides, targeted websites accused of copyright infringement by offering unauthorized live streams of World Cup matches for profit.
With more than 1,000 domains now seized in the U.S. actions, authorities continue to target unauthorized streaming platforms and digital piracy networks linked to the tournament.
An alleged member of the Scattered Spider cybercrime group has been extradited from Finland to the United States to face federal charges related to conspiracy, cyber intrusion, and fraud. U.S. authorities said the case marks another step in their ongoing efforts to prosecute individuals accused of participating in high-profile cybercrime operations linked to the notorious hacking group.
Peter Stokes, 19, a dual U.S. and Estonian citizen, made his initial appearance in federal court in Chicago after being extradited from Finland.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Stokes was arrested by Finnish authorities in April following an Interpol Red Notice and was transferred to the United States last week. A criminal complaint filed in the Northern District of Illinois accuses him of participating in cyberattacks carried out as part of the Scattered Spider group.
According to the complaint, Scattered Spider, also known as Octo Tempest, UNC3944, and 0ktapus, has been associated with more than 100 network intrusions. Authorities allege the group's activities have resulted in over $100 million in ransom payments and millions of dollars in additional damages suffered by victims.
Investigators said the group targeted companies across the United States by obtaining access to employee accounts through fraudulent methods.
Once inside corporate networks, the attackers allegedly encrypted data or exfiltrated sensitive information to remote servers before demanding cryptocurrency payments to restore access or prevent the public release of stolen data.
The criminal complaint describes an alleged cyber intrusion that occurred in May 2025 involving a luxury jewelry retailer.
Federal prosecutors allege that Stokes and other co-conspirators breached the retailer's computer systems, exfiltrated company data, and demanded approximately $8 million in cryptocurrency as ransom. According to court documents, the retailer's security team successfully removed the threat actors from its network before any ransom payment was made.
Although the company did not pay the ransom, authorities said it still incurred losses of at least $2 million due to business disruption, investigation costs, and mitigation efforts following the incident.
The extradition and criminal charges were announced by the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, and the FBI. The investigation also involved the FBI's Copenhagen Law Enforcement Attaché Office, the FBI Las Vegas Field Office, the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, and Finland's National Bureau of Investigation.
Officials said the case forms part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign focused on disrupting cybercriminal actors, infrastructure, financial networks, and fraud schemes targeting Americans.
According to the FBI, Americans reported more than $20 billion in cybercrime losses last year, representing a 26% increase compared with the previous year.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said the charges stem from years of investigative work by the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the FBI, adding that authorities would continue working together to pursue cybercriminals operating across international borders.
U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros said the alleged attacks caused significant disruption to businesses across the United States and emphasized the government's commitment to prosecuting individuals involved in cyber intrusions.
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas S. DePodesta also highlighted the role of international law enforcement partnerships in identifying alleged members of the hacking group and pursuing cross-border cybercrime investigations.
The arrest follows recent law enforcement efforts targeting the Scattered Spider threat group. In July 2025, the FBI and CISA released updated guidance describing the group's latest attack techniques, including the use of DragonForce ransomware to encrypt VMware ESXi servers.
The advisory urged organizations to maintain isolated offline backups, implement phishing-resistant multifactor authentication (MFA), and apply application controls to manage software execution.
Separately, in November 2025, two alleged Scattered Spider members appeared before Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom and pleaded not guilty to charges related to the August 2024 cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL).
The Department of Justice emphasized that the complaint against Stokes contains allegations only. As with all criminal cases, he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The Illegal World Cup Streaming Domains crackdown has intensified as the U.S. Department of Justice announced the seizure of nearly 400 websites that were illegally broadcasting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. The enforcement action, launched ahead of the tournament's knockout stage, targets websites accused of violating copyright infringement laws by offering unauthorized live streams of World Cup matches for profit.
According to the Justice Department, the domains were seized under U.S. copyright law as part of Operation Offsides, an international initiative focused on disrupting digital piracy networks linked to the World Cup.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said the operation was designed to disrupt international networks profiting from the global popularity of the World Cup.
"We have seized hundreds of domains, used to illegally stream World Cup matches for profit, to disrupt the international networks that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup," Duva said.
He added that the Criminal Division will continue efforts to disrupt and, where appropriate, prosecute websites and individuals involved in the illegal activity.
[caption id="attachment_112952" align="aligncenter" width="602"]
Banner posted on seized sites[/caption]
The domain seizures are part of Operation Offsides, led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center in coordination with HSI, HSI Attaché offices, private sector organizations, and international law enforcement agencies.
According to an affidavit filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, investigators found that the seized websites were providing unauthorized real-time streams of FIFA World Cup 2026 matches as they were being officially broadcast.
HSI special agents confirmed that the domains were actively streaming matches without authorization.
Authorities identified the domains with assistance from FIFA, while additional supporting information was provided by beIN Media Group, NBC Universal, the Motion Picture Association's Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Brothers.
FIFA holds the exclusive rights to organize and stage the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is being hosted across cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Director Ivan J. Arvelo of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center said unauthorized broadcasts violate intellectual property rights and financially benefit criminal organizations.
He said the operation disrupted networks responsible for stealing and distributing copyrighted content while helping ensure fans access matches through legitimate channels.
HSI Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf also warned that illegal streaming sites may expose users to cybersecurity threats.
According to Weindorf, viewers using unauthorized streaming platforms could face malware risks, insecure connections, and the potential compromise of personal and financial information, in addition to the copyright violations committed by the operators of such sites.
The domain seizure operation was coordinated with international partners through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Network.
Authorities targeted servers and domains associated with online piracy in Peru and Bulgaria, which officials identified as known centers of illegal streaming activity. Additional ICHIP-supported enforcement actions took place in Croatia, Romania, Poland, and Colombia after U.S. authorities shared intelligence to help identify domains involved in unauthorized World Cup broadcasts.
The Justice Department said the operation demonstrates ongoing cooperation between domestic and international law enforcement agencies in combating cross-border piracy.
The Justice Department noted that its Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property offenses alongside domestic and international partners.
Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of more than 180 cybercrime and intellectual property offenders and obtained court orders returning more than $350 million in victim funds.
The latest enforcement follows a similar HSI-led operation during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, when authorities seized more than 70 websites involved in unauthorized streaming.
The Justice Department said Operation Offsides will continue to focus on identifying and shutting down websites that facilitate illegal broadcasts while protecting intellectual property during the FIFA World Cup.
Law enforcement agencies across Europe, the United States, and other partner nations cracked down on the commercial DDoS-for-hire ecosystem, targeting both operators and customers of services used to knock websites offline.
The coordinated effort led to the seizure of 53 domains, four arrests, 25 search warrants, and warning notices sent to more than 75,000 people suspected of using so-called “booter” or “stresser” platforms.
DDoS-for-hire platforms allow customers to pay relatively small fees to launch distributed denial-of-service attacks against websites, gaming services, businesses, and public infrastructure. In fact, AI-driven threat intelligence company Cyble, in a new research report released today said, DDoS was the primary mode of attack during the ongoing Iran-Israel and U.S. conflict. Cyble recorded a 140% increase in DDoS attacks targeting Israeli entities after September 2025, and at the height of the conflict, saw 40 DDoS attacks per day.
These DDoS-for-hire services often market themselves as legitimate stress-testing tools, but authorities say they are widely abused for harassment, extortion, and disruption.
The latest enforcement wave is part of the long-running international initiative known as "Operation PowerOFF," which has previously dismantled multiple booter services and disrupted related infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Justice said investigators in Alaska seized infrastructure linked to eight DDoS-for-hire domains, including services branded as Vac Stresser and Mythical Stress, both of which allegedly advertised the ability to launch tens of thousands of attacks per day. Investigators also searched backend servers tied to the platforms.
Officials did not immediately identify those behind the services, but said the action was intended to disrupt the technical backbone used to power attacks globally.
In one of the more unusual aspects of the operation, authorities contacted more than 75,000 suspected users directly through warning emails and letters.
Law enforcement agencies appear to be using deterrence alongside takedowns—sending a message that paying for DDoS attacks leaves a trail and may bring legal consequences.
Security experts say the tactic could be particularly effective against younger or low-level offenders who use these platforms for gaming disputes, personal retaliation, or vandalism without fully understanding the legal risks.
Investigators said they identified around three million criminal accounts connected to the wider DDoS-for-hire ecosystem. The sheer number of accounts shows how industrialized cybercrime services have become. Instead of building botnets or malware, users can simply rent attack capability on demand.
DDoS attacks overwhelm a target with traffic, often causing websites, applications, or networks to crash. While sometimes dismissed as nuisance attacks, they can disrupt hospitals, financial institutions, government portals, and emergency services.
Recent years have also seen DDoS attacks used as smokescreens to distract security teams while other intrusions unfold.
Despite repeated takedowns, booter services often reappear quickly under new names, new domains, or relocated hosting providers. Researchers have found that while seizures can significantly reduce traffic in the short term, the market has proven resilient over time.
That means operations like PowerOFF may need to combine arrests, infrastructure seizures, financial disruption, and user deterrence to have lasting impact.
Entrar