Kaspersky researchers said Memento Labs appears to be behind both the Operation ForumTroll malware and spyware, known as Dante.

Operation Serengeti 2.0 dismantled almost 11,500 malicious infrastructures between June and August. Officials arrested more than 1,200 alleged cybercriminals.

The designation won cheers from the CEO of the firm, believed to be the first information security company to garner the label.

The international law enforcement operation is the latest to tackle cybercrime on the continent.

The move against the Russian cybersecurity giant aims to prevent the company from being used in cyber operations or data collection by Moscow. 

The Russian cybersecurity firm discovered sophisticated malware that combined cryptocurrency mining and espionage capabilities.

The cybercrime and fraud operations, including fraudulent art sales, were linked to financial losses of more than $40 million.

The patch is the latest to address issues associated with what cybersecurity firm Kaspersky called Operation Triangulation.

The fix follows allegations from a Russian intelligence service that an intentional flaw in iPhones provided a gateway for American espionage.

Despite the obvious risks, tech jobs with hacking groups can be alluring for those who need the money or want to do the work.