Six men charged over links to global syndicate that conducts ‘malicious cyber activities’

SINGAPORE: Six men were charged in Singapore on Tuesday (Sep 10) over their suspected links to a global syndicate that conducts “malicious cyber activities”.
About 160 officers from the police’s Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department, Special Operations Command and the Internal Security Department (ISD) conducted simultaneous raids at multiple residential locations on Monday.
The six men – five Chinese nationals and a Singaporean – were arrested in the raids, with laptops, mobile phones and cash seized.
All six were remanded in custody as the police investigate their local network of contacts and the “global syndicate to which they are linked”.
Neither the authorities nor the charge sheets mentioned the syndicate by name.
“This is a significant operation as the individuals are suspected to be carrying out global malicious cyber operations from Singapore,” said SPF and ISD.
“We have zero tolerance (for) the use of Singapore to conduct criminal activities, including illegal cyber activities. We will deal severely with perpetrators.”
Three Chinese nationals – Yan Peijian, Huang Qin Zheng and Liu Yuqi – were arrested at a landed property along Mount Sinai Avenue.
Yan, 38, was found with laptops containing data obtained without authorisation, such as personal information of people outside Singapore. This includes personally identifiable information relating to foreign internet service providers.
Huang, 35, was found with a laptop containing various computer hacking tools. He is suspected to have made preparations to conduct cyberattacks, such as exploiting vulnerabilities in internet servers.
Liu, 32, was in possession of a laptop containing various specialised software to control malware, such as PlugX.
According to Malpedia, an online resource documenting malware attacks, PlugX is a remote access trojan that can be used to fully control a victim’s machine. Once it gains access, the malware’s functionalities include executing remote commands and allowing its operator to explore file systems.
In total, the authorities seized seven laptops, 11 mobile phones and cash of more than S$54,000 (US$41,400) from the three men in the Mount Sinai Avenue property.
All three were charged with targeting websites to “scan for open ports and exploit vulnerabilities”, according to charge sheets. Huang and Liu purportedly worked with a person known only as “Bevis”.
Chinese national Sun Jiao, 42, was arrested at a condominium along Bidadari Park Drive.
The authorities found a laptop that contained credentials to access internet servers used by known hacker groups. 
Five laptops, six mobile phones, cash of more than S$24,000 and cryptocurrency worth about US$850,000 were seized.
He is accused of planning – with Yan, Huang and Liu – to target websites and “scan for open ports and exploit vulnerabilities”.
Sun faces a second charge of offering to supply 38-year-old Zhang Qingqiao with the personal information of Indian nationals found on online gambling websites.
Zhang was arrested at a condominium along Cairnhill Road. The authorities seized a laptop, nine mobile phones and S$465,000 in cash.
He is charged with offering to buy the personal information of the Indian nationals.
The sole Singaporean, 34-year-old Goh Shi Yong, was arrested at his Housing Board (HDB) flat along Hougang Avenue. 
He is accused of intentionally aiding Yan, Huang and Liu by subscribing to two Singtel broadband plans for the Mount Sinai Avenue property.