A global law enforcement operation co-ordinated by Europol dubbed ‘Project Compass’ has taken action against ‘The Com’, a notorious online collective responsible for high-profile cyber-attacks and various forms of extortion and exploitation.

The group, made up of a disparate network of mostly teenage boys and young men, has been linked to several high-profile ransomware campaigns, notably against Marks & Spencer, The Co-op and Harrods in 2025, as well as a series of cyber-attacks against Las Vegas Casinos in 2023.

Common tactics deployed in cyber-attacks by The Com include phishing, vishing and SIM swapping, with the aim of breaching networks via account takeovers.

Law enforcement has warned that The Com, which operates over a range of internet platforms including social media, messaging applications and online games, has also engaged in physical acts of violence, and has encouraged blackmail, extortion and abuse of victims, including children.

Over time The Com, has become increasingly linked to violent and extremist groups and harmful networks – including Russian cyber-criminal gangs.

To counter this, January 2025 saw the launch of Project Compass, an initiative led by Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre.

The project involves several European Union member states, plus Norway, Switzerland and all of Five Eyes: the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Europol has now revealed its “concrete operational results” against The Com during the last 12 months.

This includes the arrest of 30 perpetrators and the full or partial identification of 179 perpetrators. Several victims of campaigns by The Com have also been identified and safeguarded.

“These networks deliberately target children in the digital spaces where they feel most at ease,” said Anna Sjöberg, head of Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre.

“Project Compass allows us to intervene earlier, safeguard victims and disrupt those who exploit vulnerability for extremist purposes. No country can address this threat alone - and through this cooperation, we are closing the gaps they try to hide in,” she added.

Last year, the UK’s National Crime Agency issued a warning over the involvement of teenage boys in what it described as “sadistic and violent online gangs” such as The Com.