Tuesday, March 2, 2021
  • Setup menu at Appearance » Menus and assign menu to Top Bar Navigation
Advertisement
  • AI Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Machine Learning
    • Neural Networks
    • Learn to Code
  • Data
    • Blockchain
    • Big Data
    • Data Science
  • IT Security
    • Internet Privacy
    • Internet Security
  • Marketing
    • Digital Marketing
    • Marketing Technology
  • Technology Companies
  • Crypto News
No Result
View All Result
NikolaNews
  • AI Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Machine Learning
    • Neural Networks
    • Learn to Code
  • Data
    • Blockchain
    • Big Data
    • Data Science
  • IT Security
    • Internet Privacy
    • Internet Security
  • Marketing
    • Digital Marketing
    • Marketing Technology
  • Technology Companies
  • Crypto News
No Result
View All Result
NikolaNews
No Result
View All Result
Home Internet Security

Belarusian police shut down notorious hacking forum

September 6, 2019
in Internet Security
Belarusian police shut down notorious hacking forum
586
SHARES
3.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Belarusian authorities have seized the servers of a notorious hacking forum that served as a meeting place for malware authors, hackers, spammers, botnet operators, and other cyber-criminals, the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a press release.

Named XakFor, the forum launched in 2012 and targeted the Russian-speaking cybercrime scene. It operated on the open internet, and not on the dark web, as most would have expected, a reason many now believe led to its demise.

You might also like

Free cybersecurity tool aims to help smaller businesses stay safer online

Judge approves $650m settlement for Facebook users in privacy, biometrics lawsuit

These four new hacking groups are targeting critical infrastructure, warns security company

Belarusian authorities said XakFor amassed more than 28,000 registered accounts and had thousands of daily active users before it was taken down last month.

A meeting place for newbie hackers

While initially the forum launched and worked as a closed invite-only community and attracted some of the Russian hacking scene’s top professionals, with time, the forum’s policy changed, opening registrations to all users.

The forum’s reputation changed accordingly, and in the past half-decade, XakFor became the Russian version of HackForums — an English-speaking forum populated by low-skilled hackers.

Yet, while HackForums began moderating some of its content in recent years — removing ads for some types of malware and cybercrime services — XakFor did not.

The site listed a variety of content, ranging in quality. However, the site was primarily known as a place to buy or download free malware.

Per sources, XakFor users advertised or shared all sorts of malware strains on the forum, going from ransomware kits to crypters, to remote access trojans, and even Android malware. Some of the malware was authentic, some was cracked, while other was backdoored — with criminal stealing from each other.

Its free and varied content was one of the reasons it attracted a crowd of newbie hackers looking to take their first steps in the malware scene, before moving to other more underground hacking forums.

It was never the-place-to-be

The site’s popularity is what eventually led to its demise when Belarusian officials discovered it was being hosted inside the country.

The forum listed a takedown notice from Belarusian authorities until this week, when it went down for good. Several of the site’s pages are still available indexed and cached in Google, but all malware download links are now down and inaccessible.

Threat intel analysts with whom ZDNet spoke never had a high opinion of the site, but they did admit it was one of the biggest, although not the “forum you need to keep an eye on.” Those are Exploit, Nulled, and Verified.

All in all, XakFor was never the place where hackers plotted huge malware operations, but it was a place where users shared malware, and lots of it.

Credit: Zdnet

Previous Post

Google Fined $170 Million For Violating Kids' Privacy On YouTube

Next Post

Machine learning may augment diagnostics of kidney disease

Related Posts

Free cybersecurity tool aims to help smaller businesses stay safer online
Internet Security

Free cybersecurity tool aims to help smaller businesses stay safer online

March 2, 2021
Judge approves $650m settlement for Facebook users in privacy, biometrics lawsuit
Internet Security

Judge approves $650m settlement for Facebook users in privacy, biometrics lawsuit

March 1, 2021
These four new hacking groups are targeting critical infrastructure, warns security company
Internet Security

These four new hacking groups are targeting critical infrastructure, warns security company

February 28, 2021
Privacy Commissioner asks for clarity on minister’s powers in Critical Infrastructure Bill
Internet Security

Privacy Commissioner asks for clarity on minister’s powers in Critical Infrastructure Bill

February 28, 2021
TikTok agrees to pay $92 million to settle teen privacy class-action lawsuit
Internet Security

TikTok agrees to pay $92 million to settle teen privacy class-action lawsuit

February 28, 2021
Next Post
Machine learning-guided virtual reality simulators can be powerful tools in surgeon training

Machine learning may augment diagnostics of kidney disease

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Plasticity in Deep Learning: Dynamic Adaptations for AI Self-Driving Cars

Plasticity in Deep Learning: Dynamic Adaptations for AI Self-Driving Cars

January 6, 2019
Microsoft, Google Use Artificial Intelligence to Fight Hackers

Microsoft, Google Use Artificial Intelligence to Fight Hackers

January 6, 2019

Categories

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data
  • Blockchain
  • Crypto News
  • Data Science
  • Digital Marketing
  • Internet Privacy
  • Internet Security
  • Learn to Code
  • Machine Learning
  • Marketing Technology
  • Neural Networks
  • Technology Companies

Don't miss it

Machine Learning Cuts Through the Noise of Quantum Computing
Machine Learning

Machine Learning Cuts Through the Noise of Quantum Computing

March 2, 2021
Google’s Tensorflow Certification & What I’ve Learned Since
Neural Networks

Google’s Tensorflow Certification & What I’ve Learned Since

March 2, 2021
Apple’s data-collection ‘nutrition labels’ for apps will begin appearing next week
Digital Marketing

Pinterest powers up creators during stressful times: Monday’s daily brief

March 2, 2021
Developers can now use IBM’s cloud services across multiple environments with IBM Cloud Satellite – IBM Developer
Technology Companies

Developers can now use IBM’s cloud services across multiple environments with IBM Cloud Satellite – IBM Developer

March 2, 2021
Free cybersecurity tool aims to help smaller businesses stay safer online
Internet Security

Free cybersecurity tool aims to help smaller businesses stay safer online

March 2, 2021
Gootkit RAT Using SEO to Distribute Malware Through Compromised Sites
Internet Privacy

Gootkit RAT Using SEO to Distribute Malware Through Compromised Sites

March 2, 2021
NikolaNews

NikolaNews.com is an online News Portal which aims to share news about blockchain, AI, Big Data, and Data Privacy and more!

What’s New Here?

  • Machine Learning Cuts Through the Noise of Quantum Computing March 2, 2021
  • Google’s Tensorflow Certification & What I’ve Learned Since March 2, 2021
  • Pinterest powers up creators during stressful times: Monday’s daily brief March 2, 2021
  • Developers can now use IBM’s cloud services across multiple environments with IBM Cloud Satellite – IBM Developer March 2, 2021

Subscribe to get more!

© 2019 NikolaNews.com - Global Tech Updates

No Result
View All Result
  • AI Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Machine Learning
    • Neural Networks
    • Learn to Code
  • Data
    • Blockchain
    • Big Data
    • Data Science
  • IT Security
    • Internet Privacy
    • Internet Security
  • Marketing
    • Digital Marketing
    • Marketing Technology
  • Technology Companies
  • Crypto News

© 2019 NikolaNews.com - Global Tech Updates