Cybercrime depends on infrastructure.
Criminals need ways to host websites, communicate, route traffic and conceal where operations originate.
International law-enforcement operations in 2026 targeted VPN and related infrastructure used in criminal ecosystems.
This does not mean VPN technology itself is criminal. Legitimate VPNs are widely used for privacy, remote work and secure access.
The important distinction is how infrastructure is used.
For ordinary users, a VPN should never be treated as a magic security shield. It does not prevent phishing, stolen passwords or scams.
A VPN can protect certain network traffic, but users still need strong authentication and safe browsing habits.