Administrator of major dark web cybercrime forum arrested in Ukraine
Industry experts describe XSS.is as one of the longest-running dark web forums.
"On Tuesday July 22, a person suspected of being the administrator of the Russian-language cybercrime forum XSS.is was arrested as part of a criminal investigation opened by the Paris public prosecutor's office," Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.
"Active since 2013, this forum was one of the main hubs for global cybercrime," Beccuau said, adding that XSS.is enabled the sale of malware, access to compromised systems, stolen data, and ransomware-related services.
"The forum also operated an encrypted Jabber messaging server, facilitating anonymous exchanges between cybercriminals," the statement added.
An investigation was launched in July 2021 and was handed over to investigating magistrates in November of the same year.
"A judicial investigation was opened on November 9, 2021 on charges of complicity in attacks on an automated data processing system, organised extortion, and criminal conspiracy," Beccuau said.
"The intercepted messages revealed numerous illicit activities related to cybercrime and ransomware, and established that they generated at least $7 million in profits," Beccuau added.
The suspected forum administrator was arrested by Ukrainian authorities with the help of the French police in charge of the investigation and Europol.
French and European authorities are stepping up cooperation on arrests linked to cybercrime, while reports of cyberattacks targeting public entities and private groups are mounting.
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