A major cybercrime marketplace known as RedVDS has been shut down through a joint effort involving Microsoft, Google, and the Global Signal Exchange (GSE), a UK-based non-profit organization. The operation, supported by Europol and involving actions in Germany, focused on seizing domains and servers used by the marketplace. RedVDS operated by offering access to virtual machines that ran unlicensed software, which cybercriminals used to conduct scams and launch attacks. These virtual machines were often deleted quickly, making it difficult to trace their origins or users. Between September and December 2025, an estimated 130,000 organizations were targeted by these virtual machines, and 191,000 Microsoft email accounts were compromised during the same period. The service was available for as little as $24 per month, making it accessible to a wide range of cybercriminals. The discovery of RedVDS was made possible through signal sharing between Microsoft and Google, which identified the marketplace before Microsoft took legal action in January 2026. Microsoft sought court orders in the UK and US to seize the RedVDS web domains, while data shared through the GSE helped Google identify and suspend related accounts on its platforms. The Global Signal Exchange (GSE), co-founded in 2025 by Google and other partners, is designed to monitor the cybercrime supply chain in real time. It allows organizations to share information securely and quickly, helping to identify and respond to threats more effectively. Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs and co-founder of the GSE, explained that fraud often crosses company boundaries and that no single organization can see the full picture. The GSE was created to address this challenge by enabling trusted partners to share insights and act collaboratively. Microsoft and Google have stated they will continue sharing information through the GSE, which also includes other major tech companies like Meta and Amazon. The successful takedown of RedVDS is being cited as a demonstration of the effectiveness of such collaborative efforts in combating cybercrime. This operation highlights the growing importance of international cooperation and real-time information sharing in the fight against digital threats.