An important update came up where BreachForums has been officially taken down. Still, Baphomet, the current BreachForums administrator, stressed that “it’s not the end” in an abrupt change of events on March 21, 2023.
Baphomet stated in a post on the BreachForums Telegram channel, “You are entitled to dislike me. If you disagree with my choice, I assure you that the future will be better for everyone.
Suspicions that law authorities may have gained access to the site’s configurations, source code, and user data are what led to the shutdown. Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, the administrator, was taken into custody and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud. He goes by the alias “pompompurin.”
BreachForums has recently filled the hole left by RaidForums last year, developing into a prosperous marketplace for buying and selling databases that have been stolen from various businesses and organizations. Yet, the closure of BreachForums may encourage crooks to switch to clandestine forums to sell their warez.
The change also occurs as Telegram keeps serving as a focal point for cybercrime, promoting the sale of malware, corporate and personal data dumps, and other illegal commodities, including fakes and drugs. Threat actors will probably continue to be hungry for hacked databases; however, it is still being determined if this can be accomplished through an alternative forum or if a new one is necessary.
What Might Be The Cause Of The Unexpected Shutdown In BreachForum
Breach Forums’ initial plan from administrator Baphomet was to keep it running, but what caused them to alter their mind? The forum’s administrator said in a statement that they decided to close the community after discovering a login on an old forum CDN server on March 19 at 1:34 EST, 2023, which suggested that Fitzpatrick’s devices were accessible to the government.
According to Baphomet, it would be unsafe to run a forum under the threat of law enforcement access, and the best course of action for everyone’s safety was to close it down permanently.
Although the closure of BreachForums is viewed favorably, it could prove to be a trap for academics, cybersecurity journalists, and investigators. Without a trustworthy community to resort to, fraudsters can start dumping stolen databases on Russian-language forums, which poses a wider and bigger hazard to unwary consumers and companies.
It is important to note that Chinese-speaking hacking organizations and Russian hacker forums are already building partnerships, which could potentially spell disaster for the opposing side’s enemies.
Conclusion
Breach Forums, a notorious site for hackers and cybercriminals, has been closed down forever. Breach Forums’ owner, founder, and administrator, Conor Brian Fitzpatrick (also known as Pompompurin or Pom), was reportedly detained in New York on March 18, 2023. Speculations about whether law enforcement might take over the forum, as its precursor forum RaidForums resonated across other forums in response to Fitzpatrick’s arrest. One of its administrators, used by the moniker Baphomet, claimed responsibility for taking control of the forum the day Fitzpatrick’s arrest became public in order to keep it operational and prevent it from being taken.
They also asserted that Fitzpatrick’s access to the forum had been completely blocked. But, Baphomet has declared the forum’s permanent closure in a statement posted earlier today on the Breach Forums’ official Telegram channel. In a statement, Baphomet expressed regret for any inconvenience caused to forum users and highlighted that their choice was made for everyone’s benefit and safety. It’s important to note that Baphomet has plans to launch a brand-new community that resembles BreachForums soon. Yet, for now, Baphomet’s website will remain the default destination for all forum sites.
