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Europol has flagged 4,340 “horrific” URLs linked to The Com, a growing concern for online safety and security. The European Counter Terrorism Centre has received "hundreds" of requests from member states to help investigate crimes linked to the group.
Europol has flagged 4,340 "horrific" URLs linked to The Com, a global network of online groups involved in illicit activities. The Com has been identified as a major threat, particularly concerning minors as both victims and perpetrators. Investigators have found disturbing content on these URLs, including violent videos, child sexual abuse material, and tutorials on committing violent attacks. The Com's recruitment activities are centered around social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps. Europol is part of a broader push to disrupt The Com's online ecosystem and stop the spread of its propaganda.
Europol has recently flagged 4,340 “horrific” URLs linked to The Com, a loosely knit network of online groups whose young members participate in a range of illicit activities. This latest development is part of the larger Project Compass operation, which began in 2025 and involves partner law-enforcement agencies from the US, UK, and EU member states.
The Com has been identified as a global threat, particularly concerning minors as both victims and perpetrators. Investigators have uncovered a range of disturbing content on these URLs, including violent videos and images depicting self-harm, suicide, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), animal cruelty, and violent attacks. This includes so-called blood walls, which are paintings made with blood that display the extorter's alias and group affiliation, and cut-signs, where the victims are forced to carve the extorter's name into their bodies.
Furthermore, Europol has discovered videos of street attacks and arson, along with manuals on how to commit these violent attacks. Additionally, investigators have found instructions on grooming and extorting vulnerable minors, as well as conducting doxxing and swatting. This online network has been described by Europol as a “global threat” that is particularly concerning for minors.
The Com's recruitment activities are centered around social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps. The group's leadership uses these platforms to post content that recruits members and grooms young victims. According to Europol, the more extreme and harmful the content a user or group can produce or extort, the higher their status within the online community.
This is not the first time that law enforcement has flagged concerns over The Com. In July 2025, both the UK and US issued similar warnings about a subset of The Com that recruits children and teens for contract shootings, kidnappings, and other real-life violent crimes. The FBI said in July 2025 that IRL Com had become increasingly brazen in its swat-for-hire and violence-as-a-service solicitations.
The European Counter Terrorism Centre has received "hundreds" of requests from member states and others over the past two years to help investigate crimes linked to The Com. Europol's efforts are part of a broader push to disrupt The Com's online ecosystem and stop the spread of its propaganda.
In recent weeks, Europol has conducted Referral Action Days aimed at disrupting The Com's online activities and stopping the spread of its propaganda. This is part of Project Compass, which began in 2025 and involves partner law-enforcement agencies from across Europe. These efforts are an important step towards addressing the growing concern over The Com's activities.
In addition to Europol's efforts, other organizations have been working to combat online recruitment and propaganda. For example, Tech leaders issue a letter to train Uncle Sam about the value of open weight AI. However, it is unclear if The Com was involved in this initiative.
Europol's actions highlight the importance of international cooperation in addressing the growing threat of online safety and security. As law enforcement agencies continue to work together to disrupt The Com's activities, it is essential that individuals remain vigilant about their own online safety and security.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Europol-Unveils-Alarming-Data-on-The-Coms-Horrific-URLs-A-Growing-Concern-for-Online-Safety-and-Security-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/cyber-crime/2026/07/24/europol-flags-4340-horrific-urls-linked-to-the-com/5278556
Published: Fri Jul 24 15:32:49 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
