Authorities from 14 countries shut down LeakBase, seized its domains and arrested multiple people allegedly involved in the cybercrime marketplace for stolen data and hacking tools, the Justice Department said Wednesday.
LeakBase had more than 142,000 members, ranking it among the world’s largest forums for cybercriminals. The site, which was available on the open web, contained a massive archive of hacked databases including hundreds of millions of account credentials, officials said.
The stolen databases, which included data from U.S. corporations and individuals, were linked to many high-profile attacks, according to officials. Data seized by authorities revealed a trove of credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, credentials for account takeovers, sensitive business records and personally identifiable information.
“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” Brett Leatherman, assistant director at the FBI’s cyber division, said in a statement.
Law enforcement agencies involved in the globally coordinated takedown operation, which began Tuesday, executed search warrants, made arrests and interviewed people in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Officials did not immediately name any suspects, but some of the activity occurred in San Diego and Provo, Utah. Officials said the FBI’s field offices in San Diego and Salt Lake City, which is investigating the case, participated in the operation domestically. The Provo Police Department was also involved.
“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Robert Bohls, special agent in charge at the FBI Salt Lake City field office, said in a statement.
Authorities identified multiple users who believed they were operating anonymously by seizing the forum’s database.
“This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide,” Bohls added. “Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”
Europol, which hosted the coordinated operation in The Hague, described LeakBase as a “central hub in the cybercrime ecosystem” that specialized in leaked databases and stealer logs. The English-language site, which has been active since 2021, contained more than 32,000 posts and more than 215,000 private messages.
Authorities collectively engaged in around 100 enforcement actions globally and took measures against 37 of the platform’s most active users Tuesday, according to Europol.
The technical disruption phase got underway Wednesday and the site now displays a seizure page. Officials from Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia and The Netherlands also support the investigation.
“Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals,” Leatherman said. “The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”
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