Operation Talent, a large-scale international law enforcement effort, has successfully dismantled two major cybercrime forums, Cracked and Nulled. These platforms, with a combined user base exceeding 9 million, were hubs for the distribution of illegal goods, including stolen data, malware, and hacking tools. The operation, led by German authorities with the cooperation of eight countries, involved the seizure of 12 domains, 17 servers, over 50 electronic devices, and approximately €300,000 in cash and cryptocurrencies. Two individuals were arrested in Spain and are believed to be the main operators of both forums and related services.
The takedown of Cracked and Nulled, executed between January 28th and 30th, also targeted associated services like Sellix, a payment processor used by Cracked, and StarkRDP, a hosting service promoted on both platforms. Investigators estimate that the suspects generated around €1 million in criminal proceeds through these illegal activities. Europol played a key role, providing forensic and analytical support to the authorities. The collaborative effort highlights the growing threat of “cybercrime-as-a-service”, where readily available tools and infrastructure are used to launch attacks by those with varying levels of technical knowledge.