BreachForums Administrator Baphomet Shuts Down Infamous Hacking Forum

Mar 22, 2023Ravie LakshmananCyber Crime / Hacking

In a sudden turn of events, Baphomet, the current administrator
of BreachForums, said in an update on March 21, 2023, that the
hacking forum has been officially taken down but emphasized that
“it’s not the end.”

“You are allowed to hate me, and disagree with my decision but I
promise what is to come will be better for us all,” Baphomet noted
in a message posted on the BreachForums Telegram channel.

The shutdown^[1]
is suspected to have been prompted by suspicions that law
enforcement may have obtained access to the site’s configurations,
source code, and information about the forum’s users.

The development follows the arrest of its administrator^[2] Conor Brian Fitzpatrick
(aka “pompompurin”), who has been charged with a single count of
conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Over the past few months, BreachForums filled the void left by
RaidForums last year, becoming a lucrative destination to purchase
and sell stolen databases from various companies and
organizations.

But with the shuttering of BreachForums, the move could spur
cybercriminals to migrate to underground forums to peddle their
warez.

The development also comes as Telegram continues to be a
hub for cybercrime activities^[3], facilitating the sale
of malware, personal and corporate data dumps, and other illicit
goods such as counterfeits and drugs.

“Threat actors will likely continue to have an appetite for
breached databases, and it remains to be seen if this can be
through an alternative venue, or requires a new forum entirely,”
cybersecurity firm Flashpoint said^[4].