Introduction

Operation Talent [1] [2] [3] [5] [6] [7] [8] [10], a major international law enforcement initiative [5], successfully dismantled two prominent cybercrime forums [3] [8], Cracked.io and Nulled.to [1] [3] [4] [7] [8] [9] [10]. This operation [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9], led by Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) and the Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt am Main, with support from global partners, marks a significant step in combating cybercrime.

Description

A major law enforcement operation [4] [8], known as Operation Talent [8], has successfully dismantled two of the largest cybercrime forums [8], Cracked.io and Nulled.to [1] [3] [4] [7] [8] [9] [10], during a coordinated effort led by Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) and the Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt am Main, with significant support from international partners, including the FBI [4] [8], Europol [1] [2] [4] [5] [7] [8] [9], the Australian Federal Police [2] [5] [7] [9], and Hellenic Police of Greece [7]. This initiative, which took place from January 28 to January 30, 2025 [4], involved law enforcement agencies from ten countries and resulted in the seizure of critical infrastructure [3], including 17 servers, 12 domains [8], and over 67 electronic devices.

The seized servers have provided law enforcement with valuable information on approximately 10 million users of the forums [8], including their email addresses [8], IP addresses [8], and communication histories [8], which will aid in further investigations [8]. Notably, Cracked.io [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10], operational since March 2018 [9], had over four million users and generated around €1 million ($1.04 million) annually by selling stolen login credentials [9], hacking tools [4] [5] [6] [9] [10], and malware hosting services [6] [8] [9], with more than 28 million posts related to cybercrime [10]. This platform has impacted at least 17 million victims in the US. Following the takedown [8], visitors to both forums are now met with a law enforcement seizure banner, as the domains have been redirected to FBI-controlled servers, with Nulled.to’s name servers changed to ns1.fbi.seized.gov and ns2.fbi.seized.gov [2], along with notices indicating that user and victim information has been confiscated [1].

The operation also targeted associated services [8], leading to the takedown of a financial processor named Sellix [8], used by Cracked.io [8], and a hosting service called StarkRDP [8], promoted on both platforms [8]. The Nulled.to marketplace [9], established in 2016 [6], had over five million users and listed over 43 million posts [10], generating approximately $1 million annually by selling similar cybercrime tools [9]. One product on Nulled reportedly contained the personal information of 500,000 American citizens [10]. Two individuals [1] [4], a German citizen and another in Spain [4], were arrested and charged under Section 127 of the German Criminal Code for operating the illegal trading platforms [4]. Investigators estimate that these suspects generated €1 million ($1.04 million) in criminal profits [8].

A total of eight individuals have been identified as being directly involved in the operation of the criminal trading platforms [8]. Law enforcement also seized approximately €300,000 ($312,369) in cash and cryptocurrencies during the operation [8]. Additionally, Lucas Sohn [9] [10], an Argentinian national and administrator of Nulled.to [9] [10], has been charged with multiple conspiracy offenses related to trafficking in stolen credentials and identity fraud [9]. If convicted [9] [10], he faces significant prison time for his actions [9] [10]. Cracked.io administrators confirmed the seizure on their Telegram channel [5] [7], expressing disappointment and indicating that they are awaiting official court documentation regarding the action [5].

This operation represents a significant victory against cybercrime [1], although experts warn that such actions often lead to the emergence of new platforms to replace those taken down [1], creating a “Whac-A-Mole” dynamic in the ongoing fight against cybercrime [1]. The operation underscores the importance of international collaboration and intelligence sharing in combating the growing threat of cybercrime while highlighting the challenges law enforcement faces in adapting to evolving threats in cyberspace.

Conclusion

Operation Talent highlights the effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime, demonstrating the ability to dismantle major criminal networks. However, the persistent nature of cybercrime suggests that new platforms may emerge, necessitating ongoing vigilance and adaptation by law enforcement agencies. The operation serves as a reminder of the critical need for continued global collaboration and intelligence sharing to address the evolving challenges posed by cybercriminals.

References

[1] https://cyberpress.org/fbi-shuts-down-cracked-io-and-nulled-to-in/
[2] https://www.cyberdaily.au/security/11651-operation-talent-several-hacking-forums-seized-by-global-law-enforcement
[3] https://www.cyberdefenseinsight.com/2025/01/operation-talent-europol-leads-takedown.html
[4] https://cybersecuritynews.com/authorities-take-down-cracked-nulled-hacking-forums/
[5] https://hackread.com/operation-talent-fbi-seizes-nulled-to-cracked-to-sellix-io/
[6] https://www.bka.de/SharedDocs/Kurzmeldungen/DE/Kurzmeldungen/250130OperationTalent.html
[7] https://www.csoonline.com/article/3813190/fbi-takes-down-cracked-to-and-nulled-to-in-a-global-law-enforcement-operation.html
[8] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/operation-dismantles-cracked/
[9] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/cracked-and-nulled-marketplaces-disrupted-international-cyber-operation
[10] https://www.meritalk.com/articles/us-partners-take-down-cracked-nulled-cybercrime-forums/