International Law Enforcement Operation Seizes A Number Of Cyber Crime Webs

Operation Talent, has seized a number of sites used for crime. (photo; x @Gi7w0rm ·)

The FBI and a number of international law enforcement agencies have confiscated a number of cybercrime-related websites on Wednesday, January 29, as announced through a confiscation notice posted on these sites. This operation, known as Operation Talent, also includes confiscation of information related to customers and victims from these sites.

A Europol spokesperson in an email told Reuters that an operation coordinated by Europol is ongoing, and further information will be announced in the next 24 hours. To date, the FBI has not responded to requests for comment from the media.

According to reports from technology news sites Bleeping Computer and VX-Underground, an online repository for malware research and discussions, the operation targets sites such as Cracked, Nulled, StarkRDP, Sellix, and MySellix. These sites play a role in various aspects of the cybercrime ecosystem or are abused by criminals for:

A message posted on Cracked's Telegram channel on Wednesday afternoon confirmed that their site had been confiscated. The message stated, "It has been confiscated ... for undisclosed specific reasons." The site administrator admitted that it was still waiting for further information from the domain provider and their data center. "It's a sad day for our community," reads the message.

Talent operations show collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies in various countries to fight cyber crimes that are increasingly rampant. With the confiscation of these sites, the authorities hope to stop illegal activities that harm many victims, including theft of personal data, use of pirated software, and fraud using stolen credit cards.

Europol confirms that this operation is still ongoing and is likely to result in more arrests and closures of other sites. In recent years, a series of similar operations have succeeded in dismantling online criminal networks, affirming the international community's commitment to fighting cybercrime.

This step serves as an important reminder that cybercrime activities, although carried out anonymously in cyberspace, do not escape the supervision of law enforcement around the world. Talent operations add to the long list of international successes in protecting internet users from the threat of digital crime.