European and US law enforcement have shut down LeakBase’s database, which prosecutors called “one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals” for sharing stolen passwords and hacking tools.

LeakBase had established itself as a central hub in the cybercrime ecosystem, specializing in the trade of leaked databases and so-called “stealer logs” – archives of stolen credentials harvested through infostealer malware, Europol said.

Accessible on the open web and operating in English, the platform, active since 2021, combined elements of a forum and discussion board, enabling cybercriminals to buy, sell, and exchange compromised data.

According to the officials, the seized site’s database has over 142,000 members who have thus far shared more than 215,000 messages between them.

Of course, the prosecutors – never too shy to brag – are claiming LeakBase is one of the world’s largest cybercrime forums out there. Cybernews researchers, on the other hand, say the site wasn’t too popular, even though it would be in the top 10.

LeakBase had a continuously maintained archive of hacked databases, including hundreds of millions of account credentials, credit card numbers, and banking account and routing information.

Europol said that roughly 100 “enforcement actions” were taken globally, including measures taken against the top 37 active users of the forum.

“What began as a shadowy forum for stolen data has now been dismantled, and those who believed they could hide behind anonymity are being identified and held accountable,” said Edvardas Šileris, head of Europol’s Cybercrime Centre.

“This is a clear message to cybercriminals everywhere: if you traffic in other people’s stolen information, law enforcement will find you and bring you to justice.”

Now, LeakBase’s website displays a seizure notice, saying that the site’s contents, private messages, and IP address logs have been preserved.

Interestingly, despite being an international platform, LeakBase reportedly had an internal rule that prohibited the sale or publication of data related to Russia. This could mean the forum administrators were based in that particular country and didn’t want any issues with Russia’s law enforcement agencies.

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