14.02.2025 15:23

Here's a rewritten version of the news article, incorporating varied sentence structures and richer language, while maintaining all key details:

**International Sweep Nets Russian Hackers in Thailand for Global Ransomware Scheme**

In a coordinated effort spanning continents, Thai authorities, with the assistance of American and Swiss investigators, apprehended four Russian nationals in Phuket on suspicion of orchestrating a widespread ransomware campaign using the Phobos malware. The arrests, culminating from months of meticulous investigation, took place at a luxurious beachside villa as dawn broke over the island paradise.

The arrested individuals are accused of deploying Phobos ransomware to target approximately 1,000 victims across the globe, including seventeen Swiss companies, between April 2023 and October 2024. Losses attributed to the cyberattacks are estimated to be in the vicinity of $16 million, payable in Bitcoin. The group believed responsible for the attacks is known as 8Base, an aggressive distributor of the Phobos ransomware.

Phobos, a particularly insidious form of malware, has become a significant threat to small and medium-sized businesses worldwide. Its methodology is straightforward, yet devastating: encrypting crucial data and paralyzing systems, effectively holding victim's information hostage until a ransom is paid in cryptocurrency. However, even after succumbing to the demands, many victims find that access to their data remains elusive. One Swiss business owner reported losing months of operational data due to the attack, eventually leading to the company's collapse.

During the Phuket raid, law enforcement officials seized a range of equipment, including sophisticated hacking tools and detailed digital records of Bitcoin transactions, providing solid evidence of the group's activities. The operation underscored a truly global partnership, involving intelligence agencies from fourteen nations, including the US FBI, the Japanese National Police, and the UK National Crime Agency, signifying a worldwide commitment to combating cybercrime.