European agencies dismantle encrypted messaging app Exclu used extensively by cyber criminals

Law enforcement authorities in Europe have dismantled an encrypted messaging app named Exclu that was used extensively by cybercriminals to exchange messages, photos, notes, and videos undetected.

With a user base of almost 3,000 individuals, Exclu was, until its takedown, a crypto communication service that allowed users to secretly send encrypted messages. A user, by obtaining a license for 800 euros for 6 months, could exchange messages, photos, notes, voice memos, chat conversations, and videos undetected.

The Dutch police announced last week that it ran two separate investigations into the use of the encrypted communication service with assistance from Eurojust, Europol, as well as police forces in Italy, Sweden, France, and Germany in September 2020 and April 2022, respectively.

On February 3, police forces conducted a total of 79 searches and arrested 42 people from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. In the Netherlands alone, 11 individuals allegedly connected to the Exclu platform, including two individuals believed to be the owner and manager of the platform, were arrested. The remaining 40 individuals allegedly used the Exclu app for drug lab operations and many other criminal activities.

“Initial results show two drug labs and a cocaine laundry found. In addition, several kilos of narcotics, more than 4 million euros in cash, various luxury goods, and several firearms were seized,” the Dutch police said.

It added that the app was dismantled and that law enforcement authorities are now in the possession of all Exclu user data that they are using to continue their investigation. The police have, however, urged all innocent individuals who were using the app, like lawyers, doctors, etc, to come forward and demand their data be removed.

“Holders Users of Exclu who can invoke legal privilege, such as lawyers, civil-law notaries, doctors or clergy, can report this. They must share their user data with the police via secrecy holders@OM.nl. The police will check this and if justified, delete the data. At the moment, no one can use Exclu’s services anymore,” the police added.

This isn’t the first time law enforcement have taken down encrypted communications service used for criminal activities. In July 2020, the National Crime Agency took down EncroChat, an encrypted communications service used by criminal gangs.

According to NCA estimates, around 10,000 out of 60,000 EncroChat users were based in the UK and they used the service to coordinate and plan the distribution of illicit commodities, money laundering, and plotting to kill rival criminals. So widespread was the use of EncroChat by criminal networks that its takedown resulted in 746 arrests in the UK alone.

Criminals paid around £1,500 for a six-month contract with EncroChat, in exchange for which they received custom phones which had pre-loaded apps for instant messaging, the ability to make VOIP calls, and a kill code that wiped them remotely.

Commenting on the takedown of Exclu, Dr. Ilia Kolochenko, Founder of ImmuniWeb, said, “This is another great validation that cross-border collaboration between national law enforcement agencies is capable of efficiently suppressing cybercrime. Unfortunately, the current funding of European law enforcement units, which are dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime, is largely insufficient to combat the rapidly growing number of sophisticated cyber threat actors around the globe.

“For example, when a Dark Web marketplace disappears after a successful police raid, two more successors rapidly appear negating all the efforts. Worst, most cyber gangs are physically based in non-extraditable or hostile foreign jurisdictions, making any legal actions against perpetrators futile. Global collaboration between law enforcement agencies and adequate increase of their funding is urgently required, otherwise, governments may lose control over the Internet pretty soon,” Kolochenko added.