Law enforcement agencies from the United States and Europe have dismantled LeakBase, an online forum accused of distributing stolen passwords, hacking tools and compromised databases. Authorities described the platform as one of the largest cybercrime forums operating on the internet.
Earlier this week, investigators seized the website and secured access to its database. Officials revealed that the forum had more than 142,000 registered members and contained over 215,000 messages exchanged between users. LeakBase had reportedly been active since 2021 and maintained a vast archive of breached data sets, including hundreds of millions of account credentials, credit card numbers and banking details such as account and routing information.
The operation marks the latest effort by global law enforcement to disrupt platforms that trade in stolen credentials. Such information is frequently used by cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to personal accounts, steal sensitive data and conduct cryptocurrency theft.
According to Europol, approximately 100 enforcement actions were carried out worldwide as part of the investigation. These actions included targeted measures against 37 of the forum’s most active users. In addition, the FBI took control of the site’s domain earlier in the week by redirecting it to servers operated by the agency, effectively taking the platform offline.
Visitors to the LeakBase website are now greeted with a seizure notice stating that the forum’s data, private communications and IP address logs have been preserved as part of the ongoing investigation.
Reports indicate that the crackdown has already resulted in more than 13 arrests, along with searches and interviews involving 33 suspects. Authorities have also secured the forum’s complete database, which investigators say could provide critical evidence for further cybercrime investigations.
The coordinated international effort highlights growing pressure from law enforcement agencies to combat online marketplaces that facilitate cybercrime by distributing compromised data and digital intrusion tools.
