Ethical Hacking News
Ukraine arrests suspected admin of XSS Russian hacking forum in major blow to global cybercrime community. The operation marks a significant victory for law enforcement agencies in their ongoing efforts to combat online illicit activities.
The Ukrainian authorities have arrested the suspected administrator of the Russian-speaking hacking forum XSS.is. XSS.is, a notorious platform for cybercriminal activity since 2013, has been successfully dismantled by law enforcement. Europol and French authorities had been investigating XSS.is for over four years prior to the arrest. The French investigation uncovered illicit activities related to ransomware and cybercrime worth at least $7 million in profit. The arrest is likely to have a chilling effect on future activities at XSS.is, with users fearing exposure to law enforcement. The operation is expected to lead to further actions against other members of XSS.is, including arrests and prosecutions.
In a significant blow to the global cybercrime community, Ukrainian authorities have successfully arrested the suspected administrator of the notorious Russian-speaking hacking forum XSS.is. This development marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat online illicit activities and bring perpetrators to justice.
XSS.is, which has been operational since 2013, is widely regarded as one of the most prominent online hubs for cybercriminal activity. With over 50,000 registered users, the platform has been used to facilitate the sale of malware, access to compromised systems, advertisement of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) platforms, and discussion of illegal activities. The sheer scale of XSS.is's operations is a testament to the sophistication and reach of its administrators.
According to reports from Europol, the French authorities had been investigating XSS.is for roughly four years prior to the arrest. This investigation was sparked by activities related to ransomware and other cybercrimes that yielded multi-million-dollar profits. Despite publicly banning all ransomware topics on the platform in May 2021, the French authorities were able to uncover illicit activities through judicial wiretaps on the Jabber server.
The use of Jabber, an encrypted messaging platform utilizing the XMPP protocol, has long been a favorite among threat actors as a means of communication. However, in this instance, law enforcement was able to breach the 'thesecure.biz' server to spy on communications between users on the platform. The surveilled messages revealed numerous illicit activities related to cybercrime and ransomware, with evidence showing that the forum had generated at least 7 million dollars in profit.
The French police were able to identify the alleged administrator of XSS.is through further intercepts, leading to a judicial investigation being opened on November 9, 2021. However, it was not until September 2024 that agents were deployed on-site to apprehend the suspect. In the presence of French officers and with assistance from Europol, Ukrainian authorities successfully arrested the suspect.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through the cybercrime community, with members of XSS.is forum posting concerns about being taken over by law enforcement following the inability to reply to existing threads about the site. The site was subsequently officially seized by law enforcement, displaying a message stating that it had been taken offline due to the intervention of the Brigade de Lutte Contre la Cybercriminalité with assistance from the SBU Cyber Department.
This significant development is likely to have a chilling effect on future activities at XSS.is, as users will now fear exposure to law enforcement. This may lead to other platforms and sites being targeted in similar operations, serving as a warning to cybercrime participants that they will no longer be able to operate with impunity.
Furthermore, the arrest of the suspected administrator is likely to provide authorities with incriminating evidence against other members of XSS.is. This could potentially lead to further actions being taken, including arrests and prosecutions, in an effort to dismantle the operation entirely.
In light of this significant development, it is clear that law enforcement agencies are becoming increasingly adept at tracking down and apprehending cybercrime operators. The use of advanced investigative techniques, combined with collaboration between countries, has resulted in a major blow to the world of cybercrime.
The authorities' ability to track down XSS.is's administrator serves as a testament to their capabilities and determination to combat online illicit activities. As law enforcement agencies continue to adapt and evolve, it is likely that we will see an increase in efforts to disrupt and dismantle complex cybercrime operations like XSS.is.
In conclusion, the arrest of the suspected administrator of XSS.is represents a significant victory for global law enforcement agencies in their ongoing efforts to crack down on online cybercrime. As authorities continue to push against the boundaries of this dark world, it is clear that we can expect further developments and arrests in the coming days and weeks.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Capture-of-the-Suspected-Administrator-of-XSS-A-Mastermind-Behind-a-Web-of-Cybercrime-ehn.shtml
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ukraine-arrests-suspected-admin-of-xss-russian-hacking-forum/
Published: Wed Jul 23 10:10:51 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
