The recent arrest of a 32-year-old Australian, identified as a "computer geek," has sent ripples through the global law enforcement community. Authorities suspect him of developing the Ghost app, an encrypted messaging platform that allegedly facilitated illicit activities among hundreds of criminals worldwide, including drug trafficking and orchestrating violent crimes. The Australian Federal Police revealed that the Ghost app was marketed to underworld figures as "unhackable," attracting users from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, who were unaware that their communications were being monitored by global policing agencies.
International Sting Operation
In a coordinated effort, law enforcement from nine countries executed a series of arrests on Tuesday and Wednesday, apprehending individuals in Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, and Australia. Among those detained was Jay Je Yoon Jung, the alleged mastermind behind the Ghost app. Europol’s executive director, Catherine De Bolle, emphasized the collaborative nature of this operation, stating, "Today we have made it clear that no matter how hidden criminal networks think they are, they can’t evade our collective effort." Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol’s deputy executive director, described the operation as a "truly global game of cat and mouse," asserting that the game is now over.
In addition to the arrests, authorities dismantled a drug lab in Australia and seized weapons, drugs, and over $1 million in cash globally. The Ghost app, likened to a criminal version of WhatsApp, was created nine years ago and could only be accessed through modified smartphones priced at approximately Aus$2,350 (US$1,590). This cost included a six-month subscription to the app and ongoing technical support, with users required to maintain their subscriptions.
Surveillance and Interception
French police played a pivotal role in tracing the app’s creator back to Australia, collaborating with local authorities to target the platform. Despite the app’s creator regularly releasing software updates, Australian police managed to hijack these updates in 2022, gaining access to encrypted communications. Over two years, law enforcement monitored the app’s growing popularity, intercepting messages that included 50 death threats, which they successfully thwarted. With approximately 1,000 messages exchanged daily on Ghost, the app had amassed several thousand users globally, including 376 in Australia alone.
In one notable incident, police intercepted a threatening image of a gun aimed at an individual, allowing them to intervene and save the person within an hour. Ireland, which had the second-highest number of Ghost users, reported the dismantling of a major drug trafficking route, seizing drugs valued at around 16 million euros.
Challenges and Future Prospects
As authorities face increasing challenges in hacking into encrypted apps, the success of this operation echoes the takedown of a similar network called ANOM, which led to 800 arrests worldwide. ANOM was produced and distributed by the FBI, enabling law enforcement to decrypt 27 million messages related to criminal activities. Following the collapse of ANOM, the Ghost app emerged to fill the void, and law enforcement is now aware of other similar encrypted platforms that may soon be targeted.
The app’s creator, residing in New South Wales with his parents and lacking any criminal history, was reportedly motivated by profit. Authorities noted that he appeared "slightly surprised" by his arrest. Given his ability to erase communications on the system, police acted swiftly, securing him and the devices within 30 seconds of entry. Charged with five offenses, including supporting a criminal organization, he has been denied bail and awaits further court proceedings, alongside 38 others arrested.