Ethical Hacking News
A Welshman has been sentenced to prison for his role in numerous swatting attacks, highlighting the growing concern over online harassment and cybercrime. Callum Dare, 26, was an administrator on Doxbin, a dark web platform frequented by individuals who expose personally identifiable information (PII) of people, usually to encourage harassment or target them through swatting attacks.
Dare, a 26-year-old Welshman, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for his role in numerous swatting attacks. Dare was an administrator of Doxbin, a dark web platform where he encouraged and assisted others in targeting individuals and organizations through swatting calls. Investigations revealed Dare had assembled montages of footage to showcase emergency services' response to swatting calls. Dare was linked to several incidents, including a call that led to an evacuation at the University of California lecture theater and another that targeted a Western Mail journalist. Dare's defense argued that he suffered from mental health difficulties, but he pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting malicious communications.
In recent years, the world has witnessed a rise in swatting, a form of harassment that can have deadly consequences. This phenomenon, which involves tricking law enforcement into responding to a false emergency call, has garnered significant attention from authorities and cybersecurity experts alike. The latest high-profile case involves Callum Dare, a 26-year-old Welshman who was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for his role in numerous swatting attacks.
Dare's involvement with swatting began when he became an administrator of Doxbin, a dark web platform frequented by individuals who expose the personally identifiable information (PII) of people, usually to encourage harassment or target them through swatting attacks. He was part of the "#deadnet" channel on Doxbin, where he encouraged and assisted others in targeting individuals and organizations through swatting calls.
Investigations into Dare's activities began in May 2019, when he was just 19 years old. The FBI engaged South Wales Police and Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) in the investigation. Digital forensics revealed that Dare had assembled montages of footage taken from internet livestreams and other sources to showcase emergency services' response to swatting calls.
Dare's actions led to numerous incidents, including a call made to the Los Angeles Police Department in which a caller claimed there were bombs placed under chairs in a University of California lecture theater. The call resulted in an evacuation, causing significant disruption in the country's capital during one of the busiest periods of the year.
Investigations by Welsh police further tied Dare to a swatting attack on December 17, 2018, in which a caller phoned a Western Mail journalist claiming to be armed with nail bombs and holding hostages at Cardiff's Sandringham Hotel on St Mary Street. The journalist alerted police, who responded by closing off and evacuating St Mary Street.
In addition to these incidents, Dare was also linked to other swatting calls targeting individuals and organizations in the US and Canada. These calls often involved false claims of violence or emergencies, which led to law enforcement responding to the scene with deadly force.
Despite his role as an administrator on Doxbin, Dare never actually carried out a swatting call himself. However, investigators described him as "an active participant" in the platform's #deadnet channel, where he encouraged and assisted others in carrying out swatting attacks.
Defense barrister Peter Donnison argued that Dare suffered from mental health difficulties, including ADHD, autism, and low borderline IQ, as well as a troubled upbringing. He pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the commission of malicious communications and possession of articles for use in frauds on June 15.
The investigation into swatting highlights the growing concern over online harassment and cybercrime. Swatting is not a victimless prank – it is a reckless and dangerous crime that can have deadly consequences. Authorities are working tirelessly to identify those who engage in such activities and bring them to justice, regardless of their location.
In this case, international cooperation between law enforcement agencies allowed the Crown Prosecution Service to build a strong case against Dare, demonstrating how far-reaching his criminality was. His sentence serves as a deterrent, warning others not to carry out similar acts of harassment and cybercrime.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Swatting-The-Hidden-Dangers-Behind-a-Prank-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/07/14/welsh-doxbin-admin-jailed-for-egging-on-swatters-from-behind-a-screen/5271281
Published: Wed Jul 15 00:25:03 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
