Message service predominantly used by Pixel users intercepted by authorities

European authorities have shut down a messaging service known as Matrix. It was used by various international criminal networks.

Matrix, which was alternatively also called Mactrix, Totalsec, X-quantum, and Q-safe, was a crypto communication platform that facilitated criminal activities. It was taken down on December 3, primarily by Dutch and French law enforcement.

The service offered an ecosystem of apps that let users keep their identity hidden on the internet, make video calls, and keep track of transactions.

An investigation was launched into Matrix after the police found a device with this service in the shooter's car when crime journalist Peter R. de Vries was attacked in 2021.

Authorities monitored the service's criminal messaging traffic for several months. They were able to read messages in real-time before dismantling the communication service and intercepted and read more than 2.3 million messages in total.

The service was advanced and highly secured, with an infrastructure consisting of over 40 servers spread across the globe. This gave its users the illusion that their communications were safe and they wouldn't be caught.

Matrix was offered in the form of an app to smartphone users and was predominantly used by Google Pixel users. A six-month subscription cost between 1,300 (~$1,356) to 1,600 euros (~$1,669). It was an invite-only app, meaning you could only use it if you already knew a user.

Matrix had a varied user base, with government authorities saying that they saw people communicate in 33 languages on it. Most users were located in Southern Europe. Detectives have successfully identified the users, but it's not known what sort of legal trouble awaits. The users were involved in crimes such as international drug trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering, and criminal partnerships.

It was controlled from Spain and its owner is believed to be a Lithuanian national. Two arrests have been made so far in connection to the app.