Cybercrime Forums Dismantled by International Police Coalition

Law Enforcement Dismantles Major Hacking Forums

A collaborative effort by international law enforcement has led to the takedown of two significant hacking forums, impacting over 10 million users, as reported by Europol.

Seizure of Cracked and Nulled

Europol and Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) jointly announced the seizure of Cracked and Nulled on Thursday. The BKA characterized these platforms as “the world’s two largest trading platforms for cybercrime on the internet.”

Confirmation and Operation Talent

The operation’s confirmation followed observations by cybersecurity professionals on Wednesday. They noted that Cracked, Nulled, Sellix, and StarkRDP domains had their nameservers redirected to FBI-controlled servers.

Subsequently, all four sites displayed a notification banner detailing the law enforcement action, officially named “Operation Talent.”

Functionality of the Forums

Europol explained that these sites functioned as comprehensive hubs. They facilitated not only discussions related to cybercrime but also served as marketplaces for illicit goods and cybercrime-as-a-service offerings.

These offerings included compromised data, malicious software, and various hacking tools.

Announcement on Cracked’s Telegram Channel

An official statement released on Wednesday via Cracked’s Telegram channel indicated the site had been seized, though the specific reasons were not disclosed.

Operational Results

The operation, conducted between Tuesday and Thursday, resulted in two arrests. Authorities also executed seven property searches and seized 17 servers.

Furthermore, 50 electronic devices and €300,000 (approximately $313,000) in both cash and cryptocurrency were confiscated.

International Scope of the Investigation

The BKA reported that the law enforcement coalition secured a dozen accounts and domains across ten different countries.

Twelve individuals were identified as being involved in the operation of these cybercrime platforms. Two German citizens, one residing in Germany and another in Spain, were apprehended.

Two additional suspects will be prosecuted by authorities in the U.S., Spain, and Greece.

Crucially, investigators obtained email addresses, IP addresses, and communication records from the seized forums.

Visual Evidence of the Operation

A video released by Europol showcases Spanish authorities – the Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil – conducting an arrest, counting currency, searching a residence, and examining a computer displaying the seizure banner.

Collaboration Among Agencies

The operation was spearheaded by German authorities, with participation from law enforcement agencies in Australia, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, and Spain.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI also contributed to the investigation.

Australian Federal Police indicated they would provide further details at a later date.

Requests for comment from other involved agencies went unanswered.

Continued Crackdown on Cybercrime Forums

Operation Talent represents the latest in a series of ongoing law enforcement efforts targeting cybercrime forums.

Notable past operations include the takedown of BreachForums in both 2023 and 2024.

Earlier in 2024, “Operation Endgame” targeted hacking services and malware developers, leading to the arrest of four suspects and the identification of eight alleged fugitives.