Washington, D.C., February 4, 2025 —Authorities dismantle Cracked and Nulled, two of the largest cybercrime marketplaces, disrupting illegal trade in stolen data and hacking tools worldwide.
In a massive international takedown, law enforcement agencies from multiple countries have dismantled two of the world’s largest cybercrime marketplaces, Cracked and Nulled. These platforms, active since 2016, facilitated stolen data sales, hacking tools, and identity fraud, impacting millions of victims globally.
The U.S. Justice Department, in collaboration with authorities from Romania, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Greece, executed Operation Talent, seizing servers, domains, and key assets linked to the platforms.
Officials estimate that at least 17 million Americans were affected by cybercrimes originating from these illegal marketplaces. FBI Cyber Division Director Mark Davidson said:
This is a devastating blow to cybercriminal networks operating in the shadows.
The Cracked marketplace, which boasted over 4 million users, was a hub for selling hacked login credentials, malware, and stolen identities. Investigators found over 28 million illicit listings, with criminals profiting nearly $4 million from these illegal transactions.
Nulled, an even bigger player, hosted 5 million users and over 43 million cybercrime-related posts. Authorities arrested Lucas Sohn, a key administrator, accused of selling databases containing Social Security numbers of 500,000 U.S. citizens.
If convicted, Sohn faces years in prison for identity fraud and cybercrime conspiracy. Interpol cybersecurity chief Alex Carter said:
These criminals believed they were untouchable. Today, we’ve proven them wrong.
This historic takedown marks a turning point in the fight against cybercrime, with law enforcement agencies warning that more dark web markets will soon face the same fate
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