In a major victory against cybercrime, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced its involvement in a multinational operation to dismantle the infrastructure of two notorious online marketplaces, Cracked and Nulled. These platforms, known for facilitating cybercrime, have been disrupted in a coordinated effort involving law enforcement agencies from the United States, Romania, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Greece. The operation, supported by Europol, has already impacted at least 17 million victims in the U.S. alone.
Key Figures Behind the Announcement
The announcement was made by several high-ranking officials, including:
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Antoinette T. Bacon, Supervisory Official of the DOJ’s Criminal Division
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Trini E. Ross, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York
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Jaime Esparza, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas
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Brian A. Vorndran, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division
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Matthew Miraglia, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Buffalo Field Office
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Aaron Tapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Antonio Field Office
Cracked: A Hub for Cybercrime Tools
According to unsealed court documents, Cracked has been operating since March 2018, offering a wide range of illegal products and services, including:
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Stolen login credentials
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Hacking tools
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Servers for hosting malware and stolen data
The marketplace boasted over 4 million users and featured more than 28 million posts advertising cybercrime tools and stolen information. It generated approximately $4 million in revenue and affected millions of victims worldwide.
One particularly disturbing case involved a woman in the Western District of New York who was targeted by a cybercriminal using tools purchased on Cracked. The attacker accessed her online accounts, cyberstalked her, and sent threatening and sexually explicit messages.
Law Enforcement Action
The FBI, in collaboration with international partners, identified and seized:
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Servers hosting Cracked’s infrastructure
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Eight domain names used to operate the marketplace
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Servers and domains for Cracked’s payment processor, Sellix
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A related bulletproof hosting service
Visitors to any of the seized domains will now see a banner notifying them that the site has been taken down by law enforcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Buffalo Field Office, with prosecution led by Senior Counsel Thomas Dougherty of the DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Kruly for the Western District of New York.
Nulled: A Marketplace for Stolen Data
The DOJ also announced the seizure of Nulled, a similar marketplace operating since 2016. Nulled offered:
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Stolen login credentials
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Identification documents
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Hacking tools
With over 5 million users and 43 million posts, Nulled generated approximately $1 million annually. One of its advertised products claimed to contain the names and Social Security numbers of 500,000 American citizens.
Charges Against Nulled’s Administrator
Lucas Sohn, a 29-year-old Argentinian national residing in Spain, has been charged for his role as an administrator of Nulled. Sohn allegedly facilitated transactions involving stolen credentials and performed escrow services on the platform.
He faces charges including:
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Conspiracy to traffic in passwords
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Conspiracy to commit access device fraud
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Conspiracy to commit identity fraud
If convicted, Sohn could face up to 15 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Austin Cyber Task Force, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Karthik Srinivasan and Christopher Mangels for the Western District of Texas.
International Collaboration
The takedown of Cracked and Nulled was made possible through the cooperation of law enforcement agencies worldwide, including:
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Australian Federal Police
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Europol
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France’s Anti-Cybercrime Office
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Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office
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Spanish National Police
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Hellenic Police (Greece)
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Italian Polizia di Stato
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Romanian General Inspectorate of Police
The DOJ’s Office of International Affairs also played a crucial role in facilitating the operation.
Final Thoughts
This operation marks a significant step in the fight against cybercrime, but it also highlights the ongoing challenges posed by illegal online marketplaces. While the takedown of Cracked and Nulled is a victory, the battle against cybercriminals is far from over.
As always, individuals and organizations must remain vigilant, employing strong cybersecurity practices to protect their data and systems from potential threats.
