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[DEVELOPING] Impacts of Ukraine Invasion Felt Across the Darknet

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on August 26, 2022. Posted in Blog.

Last updated: April 18 18:30 UTC

The DarkOwl team are actively tracking the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The effects of the kinetic military operation are causing ripples across the global cyber space including critical underground ecosystems across the deep and darknet.

18 April 2022 – 01:12 UTC

DDoSecrets Leaks 222GB of Data from Gazregion Collected by Anonymous Hacktivists

Three different hacktivist groups (Anonymous, nb65, and DepaixPorteur) submitted archives consisting of emails and sensitive corporate files from Gazregion, a Russian supplier specializing in gas pipelines construction with direct support to Gazprom.

There have been numerous claims of attacks against Gazprom since invasion of Ukraine by Anonymous and other cyber offensive groups. nb65 posted to social media they compromised SSK Gazregion on April 3rd with their version of CONTI ransomware.

18 April 2022 – 01:12 UTC

nb65 Claims Attack Against Russian JSC Bank PSCB with CONTI Ransomware

The Hacktivist group, Network Battalion 65 had claimed they successfully attacked JSC Bank PSCB in Russia and successfully encrypted their network with their version of CONTI ransomware.

The group stated they managed to exfiltrated over 1TB of data including financial statements, tokens, tax forms, client information, and sensitive databases before deleting all backups to prevent data and functionality restoration.

The hacktivists further taunted the bank stating how grateful they were the stored so many credentials in Chrome – a browser for which several emergency security patches have been recently released.

We’re very thankful that you store so many credentials in Chrome. Well done. It’s obvious that incident response has started. Good luck getting your data back without us.

15 April 2022 – 21:59 UTC

GhostSec Leaks Data from domain[.]ru Hosting Provider

The Hacktivist group, GhostSec claimed to target Russian internet domain registration provider, domain[.]ru in a cyberattack. The group managed to exfiltrate over 100MB of data including screenshots of sensitive files and excel spreadsheet data.

According to the README file in the data leak, during the breach, GhostSec identified over 4TB of SQL databases, but in all the excitement the team’s presence was caught by the company’s intrusion detection systems and kicked off the network before the SQL data could be harvested.

15 April 2022 – 17:52 UTC

nb65 Confirms Attack on Continent Express; DDoSecrets Leaks 400 GB of Russian Travel Agency’s Data

The attack on a Russian travel agency occurred several days ago and was shortly after confirmed by the organization. DDoSecrets assisted nb65 in leaking over 400GB of sensitive files and databases from the travel agency. The details of the leak have not been confirmed.

15 April 2022 – 14:32 UTC

Anonymous Takes Over Pro-Russian Discord Accounts

Hacktivists from the Anonymous Collective have successfully taken control of several pro-Russian accounts on the chat platform, Discord, and are now using these accounts to circulate pro-Ukrainian messaging. An Anonymous member @v0g3lsec – who has been extremely active in the #opRussia campaign – shared an image of a hacked account where they posted links and information about the information operations group, squad303 to share truths about the invasion via SMS, WhatsApp, and email with random Russian citizens.

14 April 2022 – 20:02 UTC

DDoSecrets Leaks Unprecedented Amount of Email Data from Russian Organizations

In the last three days, DDoSecrets uploaded archives for five (5) different organizations across Russia totaling 1.97 Million emails and 2 TBs of data.

230,000 emails from the Blagoveshchensk City Administration (Благове́щенск) – 150GB
230,000 emails from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation (Министерство культуры Российской Федерации) responsible for state policy regarding art, cinematography, archives, copyright, cultural heritage, and censorship – 446 GB
250,000 emails from the Deptartment of Education of the Strezhevoy (Стрежево́й) City District Administration – 221GB
495,000 emails from the Russian firm Technotec, which has provided oil and gas field services along with chemical reagents used in oil production and transportation – 440GB
768,000 emails from Gazprom Linde Engineering, which specializes in designing gas and petrochemical processing facilities and oil refineries – 728GB

13 April 2022 – 17:09 UTC

CISA Issues Alert About Destructive Malware Targeting US Critical Infrastructure

A joint advisory issued by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) details how nation state actors (likely sponsored by the Russian government) have demonstrated the capability to gain full system access to multiple industrial control system (ICS) and affiliated supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) devices. The critical alert indicated there is an immediate HIGH cybersecurity risk to critical infrastructure around the US. The devices include:

Schneider Electric programmable logic controllers (PLCs);
OMRON Sysmac NEX PLCs; and
Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) servers.

For more information read the advisory along with recommended security mitigation measures here: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-103a

12 April 2022 – 15:31 UTC

ATW | Blue Hornet Announces That They are a “State-Sponsored” Group

The “GOD” account representing AgainstTheWest (APT49) on the new BreachedForums (with many users from the now officially seized RaidForums) announced moments ago that they are indeed a “state-sponsored” cyber group with “direct instructions to infiltrate, attack and leak the country of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea & Belarus.” The group’s Twitter account was also blocked by Russia’s Kremlin account earlier this week and the notification of this block was included in the post.

There is no way to verify the accuracy of the statement posted and it’s unclear whether or not the group will continue their operations in support of Ukraine.

11 April 2022 – TIME UNKNOWN

CONTI Claims Responsibility for Cyberattack Against German Wind Turbine Company

On the 31st of March, Nordex wind turbine manufacturing company in Germany suffered a significant cyberattack. CONTI has claimed responsibility for the attack (over 10 days later) posting the company’s name to their public-facing Tor service of victims. We anticipate that sensitive corporate data will be leaked by the RaaS gang shortly.

11 April 2022 – 20:58 UTC

Anonymous Compromises Regional Government of Tver, Russia; Leaks 130,000 Emails from Governor’s Mail Server

Hacktivists from the Anonymous Collective using the monikers DepaixPorteur and wh1t3sh4d0w0x90 have compromised the domain tverreg[.]ru believed to be associated with the Regional Government of Tver, Russia. Tver is located 110 miles (180km) northwest of Moscow on the banks of the Volga River. The archive is over 116GB in size and consists of over 130,000 emails exfiltrated from Governor Igor Rudenya’s email system dating from 2016 through 2022. The governor was appointed by President Putin in 2016.

Anonymous shared a leak consisting of Russian regional governors on the darknet on 23 March 2022.

11 April 2022 – 14:35 UTC

Finland Suffers Cyberattack; Announces They Will Expedite Application for NATO Membership

On April 8th, the Finnish government confirmed many of its military, defense, and foreign affairs webservers experienced unsophisticated, yet concerted DDoS attacks likely originating from Russian threat actors. The cyberattacks coincidentally occurred just as Ukraine President Zelenskyy started to address the Finnish Parliament on the status of the war in Ukraine around 10:30 GMT.

On the same day, the Finnish Minstry of Defense confirmed, hours earlier, Russia state-owned aircraft also breached Finland’s airspace off Porvoo in the Gulf of Finland – the first time in over 2 years. The aircraft, an Ilyushin IL-96-300 cargo transport airplane, was traveling east to west and landed in Berlin.

Both Finland and Sweden have signaled they will be submitting applications to join NATO. According to open-source reporting, Finland will likely finalize their application during the month of May in time for a NATO summit scheduled in Madrid, Spain in June.

Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia would have to “rebalance the situation ” with its own measures should Sweden and Finland choose to join NATO.

09 April 2022 – 03:39 UTC

ATW | BH Group Leaks Data Stolen from Russian Temporary Work Agency and Recruitment Firm: Rabotut

AgainstTheWest (Blue Hornet) announced on their Telegram channel they have successfully targeted the domain (rabotut[.]ru) for Rabotut, a “federal scale service” supplier in Russia. According to the threat actor, the archive includes the organization’s entire backend and front end source code, API keys, and SSL keys. According to open-sources, Rabotut is a temporary workers agency and provides contract employees to a number of critical government and corporate businesses around the country.

Contents of leak are in the process of verification by Darkowl analysts.

08 April 2022 – 21:41 UTC

KelvinSecurity Team Targets Russian Cryotcurrency Scam Website: alfa-finrase

KelvinSec released data reportedly from the domain (alfa-finrase[.]com) known for trading in fraud data, e.g. passports, driver’s license, and other sensitve PII. The group claims to have exploited the website, shutdown a cryptocurrency scam, deleted 400GB from the site’s server, and exposed 1.4GB of customer data from the deep web store.

07 April 2022 – 19:30 UTC

DDoSecrets Leaks Over 400,000 Russian Organization Emails Exfiltrated by Anonymous Operations

The leak site, DDoSecrets once again assists Anonymous hactivist collective in distributing sensitive data exfiltrated from companies and organizations in Russia. Three archives were leaked – within minutes of each other – for three organizations: Petrofort, Aerogas, and Forest. The data from these corporate email archives date back over decades of commercial activitiy.

Petrofort: 244GB archive consisting of over 300,000 emails between employees and clients. Petrofort is one of the largest office spaces and business centers in Saint Petersburg.
Aerogas: 145GB archive consisting of over 100,000 emails between employees and clients. Aerogas is an engineering company supporting Russia’s critical oil and gas infrastructure and supports such as: Rosneft, NOVATEK, Volgagaz and Purneft.
Forest (Форест): 35GB archive consisting of over 37,000 emails between employees and clients. Forest is a Russian logging and wood manufacturing company associated with many high-valued construction projects across the company.

A representative from DDoSecrets earlier shared thoughts about the extraordinary volume of leak data coming out of Russia earlier this week in a social media post.

06 April 2022 – 21:42 UTC

Anonymous Claims to Attack Russian MAUK Cinema, Mirkino Belebey

Members of Anonymous using the aliases ShadowS3c and Anonfearless3c have allegedly targeted servers for the Russian cinema and movie theatre, Mirkino Belebey (domain:mirkino-belebey[.]ru). The Mirkino theatre is also known as the MAUK Cinema a.k.a. “World of cinema” in the Belebeevsky District of Russia.

The hacktivists have leaked screenshots with credential data from the breached database containing hundreds of usernames, email adresses, and passwords.

This entry will be updated if/when the leak contents can be confirmed.

06 April 2022 – 20:42 UTC

Hajun Project Identifies Russian Soldiers Who Sent Parcels from Belarus Back to Russia

On April 3rd, the Hajun Project published three hours of surveillance camera footage from a CDEK delivery service located in Mazyr, Belarus. The video shows several soldiers from the Russian Armed Forces sending, among other things, items stolen from Ukrainians, during their “special military operation.”

Using leaked personal data available across the darknet and deepweb, the Hajun Project further confirmed the identities of the Russian military consignors and have released the names and phone numbers for at least 50 of the servicemen that sent parcels around the same time as the published camera video.

The Hajun Project maintains a Telegram channel and Twitter account monitoring and tracking the movement of military land and air assets in Belarus.

05 April 2022 – 16:22 UTC

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency (GURMO) Conduct SCADA Attacks on Gazprom

Due to the sensitivities of on-going military operations, there is limited detail available on the nature of the attack, but it appears that offensive cyber units under the direction of Main Director of Intelligence for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine conducted SCADA cyberattacks against Gazprom pipelines. The attacks began within 48 hours of a fire at an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod region last Friday, that western media reported was the first time Ukrainian helicopters had been spotted going across the border.

The cyberattacks likely triggered an underground gas leak from a highly pressurized gas pipeline in the village of Verkhnevilyuysk; the leak was reported in Russian open sources. Shortly after this, an explosion occurred in a main gas pipeline “Urengoy-Center-2” that civilians captured on Russian social media platform, VK as a large fire occurred in the Lysvensky district of the Kama region near the village of Matveevo.

Over pressurizing gas lines through disrupting infrastructure industrial control systems (ICS) is a documented method for using cyber to cause kinetic damage to pipeline critical infrastructure. The Congressional Research Services detailed such security risks to ICS in their 2021 report.

05 April 2022 – 14:21 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Data from Russian Rations Supplier, Korolevskiy

The company, Korolevskiy (korolevskiy[.].ru) appears to supply Russian companies and organizations with grain, nuts, and confectionaries in addition to rations for the military. This cyberattack could impact the availability of some food ingredient supplies, such as sugar, which is already in short supply and skyrocketing in price across the country due to sanctions.

The data leak includes an 82GB archive containing thousands of emails exfiltrated from the company’s mail servers.

05 April 2022 – 12:29 UTC

nb65 Claims to Hack Civilian Travel Service in Retaliation for Bucha Massacre

Anonymous and hacktivists around the world step up their offensive against Russia after images of Russian soldiers’ war crimes and atrocities against civlians in Bucha emerged on Monday.

Network Battalion 65 (nb65) reportedly targeted Continent Express (continent[.]ru), a Russia-based travel and supply company, with Conti’s ransomware variant in retaliation for the crimes.

Continent Express is one of the largest agencies for travel in Russia and helps arrange tickets and accomodations. As of time of writing the public facing website for continent[.] is operational.

Details of the group’s threatening message posted to social media called out the company’s CEO Stanislav Kostyashkinis in the image below.

“Why, you ask? The answer is simple. We read and watched the coverage of Bucha with horror. The utter lack of humanity in the way Russian soldiers have treated the civilian population of Ukraine left us all in tears. The world has pleased with your country to put an end to this madness drive by the mind of a cowardly tyrant: your president.”

(Update 6 April 2022) Earlier today, Continent Express posted to their news section of the website acknowledging the cyberattack but stated that important data and booking systems were not affected.

04 April 2022 – 12:29 UTC

DDoSecrets Distributes Data Exfiltrated by nb65 From Russian Broadcasting Company

Earlier in the campaign, nb65 leaked a sample of files and emails from All-Russia’s State Television and Broadcasting Company (VGTRK / ВГТРК). The Russian state-owned broadcaster operates five national TV stations, two international networks, five radio stations, and over 80 regional TV and radio networks and has been heralded as essential for the “security of the state.”

According to former VGTRK employees, Kremlin officials have dictated how the news should be covered, and provided incendiary phrases meant to discredit Ukraine. According to the former employees, editors normally have freedom to make decisions, but “where big politics are concerned, war and peace, he has no freedom.”

The 786 GB archive contains over 900,000 emails and 4,000 files spanning 20 years of operations at the broadcaster.

04 April 2022 – 06:24 UTC

Anonymous Leaks List of Russian Soldiers Deployed in Bucha

Anonymous shared a PDF file containing the identities of the members Russia’s 64 Motor Rifle Brigade that was positioned in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. Since Russia’s withdrawl from the village, the atrocities and war crimes carried out by members of the Brigade have come to light.

The PDF consists of 87 pages detailing the identities of over 1,600 members of the Bridage, including their full name, date of birth, and passport number.

The file most likely originated from the Ukrainian government or intelligence services.

03 April 2022 – 06:16 UTC

Anonymous Shares Data Leaked from Russian Federal Agency for State Property Management

Anonymous shared a single PostGreSQL database, presumably from the domain: rosim.gov.ru, containing over 785MB of logged domain Internet activity available via the domain user: kluser. Much of the data is several years old, including IP addresses, domains, user agents of site vistors. Without further analysis, the value of leaking this data other than psychological operations and information warfare is unclear.

03 April 2022 – 05:07 UTC

nb65 Claims to Compromise Russian Gas Pipeline Supplier: SSK Gazregion

nb65 shared on social media that they have successfully hacked SSK Gazregion LLC (domain: ssk-gaz.ru) – a prominent natural gas pipeline construction company – with an ‘improved’ version of Conti’s ransomware. They taunted the company’s IT department, claiming that they also deleted all backups and restoring services would be an issue for the department.

They also claim to have exfiltrated 110GB of sensitive files, emails, and company data during the operation and trolled the company further stating it took forever to steal the data with the “chincy ass soviet connection” they were using for Internet connectivity.

“Federal Government: This will stop as soon as you cease all activity in Ukraine. Until then, fuck you. Your Preisdent is a coward who sends Russian sons away to die for his own ego. War in Ukraine will gain your country nothing but death and more sanctions. none of your internet facing tech is off limits to us.”

“We won’t stop until you stop.”

03 April 2022 – 04:24 UTC

ATW Release Dox of KILLNET Member

Similar to the personal details shared for various APT cyber groups in China, Russia, and North Korea, ATW targeted the pro-Russian cyber group, KILLNET. They released a dox containing the Russian national’s personal information, his social media, contact information, and familial associations.

KILLNET claimed to launch cyberattacks against Polish government and financial networks in support of Putin’s invasion in Ukraine. Last week, KILLNET also reportedly conducted DDoS attacks against the International Cyber Police agency, CYBERPOL and hacked the ticketing system at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

02 April 2022 – 17:28 UTC

Darknet Threat Actor, spectre123 Releases Sensitive Databases for the Indian Government and Military

The threat actor is well-known for targeting governments and defence contractors and has been circulating sensitive government databases for some time. This weekend, they released a “mega leak” of Indian government data for the PM Modi adminsitration’s “turning a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis…. in Ukraine.”

Over 40 GB of data is included in 11 different archived files and includes classified (up to TOP SECRET) and Confidential government documents from the following sectors: ALISDA, DGAQA, MSQAA, DRDO, DDP, Joint Defence Secretary India, BSF, MOD and the Indian Navy.

“The Indian government has a remarkably twisted propensity towards turning a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in their own nation and now as well in Ukraine. It continues to do business with Russia and refuses to speak on the war, all in an effort to maintain their shallow political interests. These documents have been released to show that there are consequences for taking such foolish decisions.”

02 April 2022 – 06:13 UTC

ATW | BH Claims to Leak Personal Details of Members of Nation State APT Cyber Groups: ATP3, APT40, APT38, & APT28

The AgainstTheWest group continued their offensive against Chinese, North Korean, and Russian nation state cyber groups. Releasing a dox-style text file on Telegram and the deep web forum, breached.co, the ATW group included the names, email addresses, socials and Github accounts, credit card data, front companies, and other identifying information about the group’s participants along with other shocking revelations. Some include:

APT38: China and North Korea have collaboratively had a mole inside the United States Congress since 2011.
APT3: Threat actors are closely aligned with employees from Tencent – the Chinese technological giant behind WeChat and QQ.
APT38/APT3: The alias “ph4nt0m” appears in information for both groups and is believed to be affiliated with APT17 from China.
APT40: Threat actors are randomly connected to employees of ByteDance, the parent company for TikTok.

We are unfortunately unable to corroberate the veracity of the information shared by ATW (Blue Hornet).

01 April 2022 – 20:13 UTC

Anonymous Attacks Russian S-300 Supplier: Lipetsk Mechanical Plant

Anonymous shared another large archive of data stolen from a prominent Russian defense manufacturing facility. The archive is nearly 27GB total and consists of company emails and sensitive documents.

Russia’s “Lipetsk Mechanical Plant” produces several defense products for the Russian military and industrial defense complex. Today, the plant is one of the leading and main manufacturers of modernized self-propelled tractors for S-300V4 anti-aircraft missile systems in Russia. The S-300 is one of Russia’s premier air-defense platforms.

01 April 2022 – 16:00 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Multiple Data Archives From Critical Moscow-Based Organizations

Coordinating today through DDoSecrets on distribution, Anonymous shared several highly significant archives, consisting of over 500GB total of emails, files, and databases from critical Russian organizations with close ties to the Russian government.

Department for Church Charity and Social Service of the Russian Orthodox Church: Database containing 57,500 emails from the Russian Orthodox Church’s charitable wing.
Capital Legal Services: 200,000 emails exfiltrated from a prominent Russian law firm includes an additional 89,000 emails are located in a “Purges” mailbox, consisting largely of bounced email notifications, cron jobs and other server notifications.
Mosekspertiza: Three archives consisting of a) 150,000 emails b) 8,200 files and c) multiple databases totally over 400GB of data. Mosekspertiza is a state-owned company setup by the Moscow Chamber of Commerce to provide expert services and consultations to Russian businesses.

1 April 2022 – 08:56 UTC

GhostSec Wreaks Additional Havoc on Alibaba

After ATW attacked Alibaba Cloud days before, Ghost Security has allegedly hacked and deleted Alibaba’s UAE branch’s ElasticSearch service database. They included a leak to the database extracted from the company on their Telegram channel.

We have also deleted everything and even cleared the backups so there is no recovery, and we left a little celebration from us <3

31 March 2022 – TIME UNKNOWN

German Wind Turbine Company Impacted by Cyberattack

A German-based wind turbine – Nordex – with over $6 billion dollars in global sales faced a cyberattack that incident responders caught “in the early stages.” It’s likely the attack is retaliation for Germany pausing on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline deal with Russia.

“Customers, employees, and other stakeholders may be affected by the shutdown of several IT systems. The Nordex Group will provide further updates when more information is available.”

In the early days of the cyberwar, a cyberattack on the satellite communications company Viasat caused 5,800 Enercon wind turbines in Germany to malfunction.

31 March 2022 – 19:43 UTC

Anonymous Leaks 62,000 Emails from Moscow-Based Marathon Group

Anonymous again targets associates of those closest to Putin launching recent cyberattacks against Marathon Group. The Marathon Group is an investment firm owned by Alexander Vinokurov. Vinokurov is the son-in-law of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Larov and is under heavy sanctions by the EU for providing financial support to Russia. The leaked archive is over 51GB in size and is being distributed via DDoSecrets.

31 March 2022 – 14:31 UTC

Ukraine Government Sets Up Website for Whistleblower Reporting

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office in coordination with the National Agency on Corruption Prevention and Task Force Ukraine deployed the Whistleblower Portal on the Assets of Persons Involved in the Russian Aggression against Ukraine. The website is setup to provide a secure and anonymous method for the submission of tips and evidence of corruption any activities causing national harm. The website will ideally help in the “tracing, freezing, and confisicating of assets of those involved in Russia’s War Crimes.”

Many OSINT sleuths have identified Russian oligarchs’ and government officials’ assets, like super yachets parked in international ports and submitted photographs via posts on social media. This website could be used to officially report supporting information leading to the seizure of those assets or other correlative intelligence obtained through leaks shared by Anonymous.

30 March 2022 – 22:09 UTC

Database Containing the PII of 56 Million Ukrainian Citizens Leaked on Deep Web

A user on the forum breached.co leaked an arhive containing the personal identification information for over 56 Million citizens of Ukraine. The database includes the full name, dates of birth, and address for the individuals. Its unclear the origins of the data. Members of the forum stated it was the Ukrainian Tax Service and could be dated back to 2018.

30 March 2022 – 21:53 UTC

ATW Continues Offensive Against China, Leaks Alibaba Cloud & Ministry of Justice of PRC Data

The AgainstTheWest/Blue Hornet group have ramped up their attacks against Chinese targets and leaked the largest archive they have exfiltrated to date. ATW successfully breached the e-commerce company Alibaba and have dropped a 30GB archive consisting of Alibaba’s cloud endpoint environment, source code, and customer data. They also released a smaller database obtained from the Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China. Both were shared to the deep web forum, breached.co.

30 March 2022 – 19:49 UTC

Anonymous Continues to Encourage SCADA Attacks; Leaks Default Credentials for COTS Hardware Suppliers

Members of the Anonymous Collective circulate spreadsheets and websites containing the default factory credentials for most commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) vendor hardware. Hardware, that in turn, is often affiliated with and successfully exploited via SCADA-based industrial control system (ICS) cyberattacks.

One list includes 138 unique products including manufacturers such as Emerson, General Electric, Hirshmann, and Schneider Electric accompanied with default factory settings such as username: admin and password:default. Another resource is a surface web website (intentionally not included but available upon request) which lists 531 vendors and over 2,100 passwords deployed with hardware from the factory.

Sadly, most companies will rely on the default passwords upon installaton and do not bother with updating to a more robust credential security standard.

30 March 2022 – 18:19 UTC

Anonymous Leaks 5,500 Emails Stolen from Thozis Corporation

Anonymous successfully attacked Thozis Corporation – a Russian investment firm with links to Zakhar Smushkin of St. Petersburg. According to the Panama Papers, the company is registered in the British Virgin Islands. The firm is allegedly involved in one of the largest development projects in Russia, including a project to build a satellite city within St. Petersburg.

The trove of leaked emails likely include sensitive documents and agreements between the Russian government, its societal elite, and other international entites.

DDoSecrets assisted in the publication of the 5.9GB archive obtained by Anonymous.

30 March 2022 – 17:55 UTC

GhostSec Leaks Shambala Casino Network Data

GhostSec claimed a few days ago they had successfully attacked a prominent casino operator in Russia, known as Shambala.

The hacktivist group targeted the casino as they believed members of the Russian government used Russian casinos to move cash into different currencies besides the Ruble. At least 27 computers were reportedly compromised, data exfiltrated, systems locked, and files erased.

29 March 2022 – 06:12 UTC

Russian Aviation Sector Suffer Additional IT Operational Impacts

A post shared on the Russian Telegram channel, Авиаторщина, indicates that the aviation industry of Russia will have additional impacts to their IT support with the withdrawl of the Swiss-based company, SITA as of 29 March.

According to the Telegram post, SITA shutting down their operations will impact numerous systems utilized by the aviation industry and airlines across Russia.

[translated]

“Products for pilots such as AIRCOM Datalink, AIRCOM FlightMessenger, AIRCOM FlightTracker, and AIRCOM Flight Planning services will no longer be available. Such software is utilized by airlines and flight crews to plan, perform aeronautical calculations and track flights, and more accurately calculate remaining fuel, flight time, etc.”

The company – choosing to withdrawl from operating in Russia due to Putin’s invasion – suffered a significant cyberattack on 24 February, the same day as the invasion of Ukraine, resulting in the compromise of passenger data stored on their SITA Passenger Service System (US) Inc. servers. SITA supports numerous international air carriers.

This annoucement comes within days of the cyberattack against Rosaviatsiya (see below), Russia’s Federal Air Transport Authority.

(Update 30 March – 23:42 UTC) No alias associated with Anonymous has claimed credit for the 28 March cyberattacks against Rosaviatsiya which resulted in 65TB of lost agency data. Interestingly, new Anonymous groups have only recently joined the campaign, including RedCult, increasingly the likelihood that widespread industry sector attacks will continue across Russia.

28 March 2022 – 18:23 UTC

nb65 Claims to Hack JSC Mosexpertiza; Steals 450GB of Sensitive Data

In a social media post, nb65 hacktivist group claims they compromised Joint Stock Company (JSC) Mosexpertiza, Moscow’s independent center for expertise and certifications, via the domain mosekspertiza.ru.

They claim they also infected the domain with, none other than Conti’s “crypto-locking ransomware variant” – released earlier this month in the opRussia campaign. In the process of hacking the network nb65 also exfiltrated 450GB of emails, internal documents, and financial data.

28 March 2022 – 17:07 UTC

Anonymous Leaks 140,000 Emails from Russian Oil & Gas Company, MashOil

Distributed via DDoSecrets, the Anonymous hacktivist collective recently targeted MashOil, releasing over 140,000 sensitive corporate emails from the company.

Moscow-based, MashOil manufacturers equipment for hydraulic fracturing and enhanced oil recovery (EOR); injection, nitrogen and cementing equipment; top drive mobile drilling rigs; directional drilling equipment; and, ejector well clean-up.

Anonymous continues to target companies in Russia and any companies that continue to contribute to economic and financial viability for the Russian Federation.

28 March 2022 – 12:41 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Russian Document Ordering Propaganda Video Development

Knowing propaganda is widely circulated by both Ukrainian and Russian affiliated organizations, Anonymous has leaked an official Russian document, titled “On holding informational events on the Internet”, dated 21 March 2022, stating this was an official “order issued” by the Russian government to develop videos to discredit the Ukrainian military and their treatment of prisoners of war (POWs). The order was signed by the “Temporary Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation”, Dmitry Bulgakov and decrees:

Develop and distribute a series of video materials demonstrating the inhuman behavior of the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and nationalist formations on the territory of Ukraine in relatinos to prisoners who showed a voluntary desire to surrender
Develop and distribute sermographic materials, evidence of the use of briefings by captured military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during the filming
Provide informational support for materials in the comments, the main argument is the violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners
To impose control over the implmtnation of this order on the head of the Information Warfare and Disguise Department of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

(UPDATE 29 March 2022 – 20:56 UTC) DarkOwl advises that recent open source intelligence research suggests this letter could be fake and disseminated as part of an information operations campaign. Researchers caught signature mismatches of the Russian official, Bulgakov. Such data is a reality in the the fog of asymmetric warfare.

28 March 2022 – 11:58 UTC

Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Doxxes 620 Russian FSB Agents

The Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, known simily as Defence Intelligence of Ukraine or GUR, has leaked the identities of over 600 Russian FSB spies. The database includes the agents’ full names, dates of birth, passport numbers, passport dates of issue, registration addresses as well as other identifying markers for the FSB employees.

Many of these agents may be conducting covert operations around the world and leaking their identities may compromise the success of their operations.

28 March 2022 – 11:05 UTC

ATW (BH) Targets Chinese Companys and Government Organizations

After a brief vacation announced on 23 March, the AgainstTheWest (Blue_Hornet) group returns with concerted attacks against a number of Chinese companies and government organizations. The group claims they successfully attacked the following:

The group also referenced a supply-chain software dependency attack, via a poisoned burgeon-r3 NPM package.

Fenglian Technology-Digital Ecological Platform Solution
Bluetopo China security development tool
China Pat Intellectual Property
Weipass
Ministry of Transport China
Freemud Software (supplier to Starbucks)
China Joint Convention Committee.

Shortly after the announcement and initial round of leaks, the group also released source code affiliated with China Guangfa Bank, along with associated Maven releases. The group also claims to have breached the Chinese social messaging platform, weChat.

We are still evaluating the data and determining the specific types of data compromised and released.

28 March 2022 – 03:22 UTC

Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsiya Confirms CyberAttack; 65TB of Data Erased

The civil aviation agency Rosaviatsiyan responsible for air cargo transportation confirmed with a letter shared on the Russian Telegram channel, Авиаторщина that their website domain favt.ru was offline since Saturday due to a significant cyber attack. The attacks had severely impacted their ability to plan and conduct flight operations and the agency had resorted to pen-and-paper-based operations in the interim.

The notice stated that over 65TB of emails, files and critical documents had been allegedly erased along with the registry of aircraft and aviation personnel. There were no systems backups to restore from because according to the agency spokesperson, the Ministry of Finance had not allocated funds to purchase backups.

“All incoming and outgoing emails for 1.5 years have been lost. We don’t know how to work…”

“The attack occurred due to poor-quality performance of contractual obligations on the part of the company LLC ‘InfAvia’, which carries out the operation of the IT infrastructure of the Federal Air Transport Agency.”

27 March 2022 – 20:44 UTC

Anonymous Leaks 2.4GB of Emails from Russian Construction Company, RostProekt

Over the weekend, DDoSecrets helped Anonymous distribute over 2 gigabytes of sensitive company emails exfiltrated by breaching a prominent Russian construction company, RostProekt (in Russian: РостПроект). The company primarily operates in Russia, with the head office in Moscow Oblast. RostProekt is a primary contributor to Russia’s lumber and other construction materials merchant wholesalers sector. The breach may impact construction projects in the country.

As of time of writing, the website for the company is online.

25 March 2022 – 20:36 UTC

nb65 Leaks Sample Internal Data from the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK)

The nb65 hacktivist team targeted and released data affiliated with a state-sponsored propaganda broadcasting company of the Russian Federation, VGTRK. The All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, also known as Russian Television and Radio (native: Всероссийская государственная телевизионная и радиовещательная компания) owns and operates five national television stations, two international networks, five radio stations, and over 80 regional TV and radio networks. It also runs the information agency Rossiya Segodnya.

nb65 claims they have successfully compromised the organization’s network and exfiltrated over 750GB of data, much of which consists of employee email (.pst) files from the company’s email network. The group claims to be ‘watching’ for their ‘eventual incident response.’

The group continued to troll the organization…

“Your blue team kinda sucks. Hard to find good IT help when all your techies are fleeing the country, eh?”

25 March 2022 – 18:36 UTC

Anonymous Releases Files Exfiltrated from the Central Bank of Russia

Anonymous has released data the hacktivists collected while conducting attacks against the Central Bank of Russia. The archive, broken up into 10 separate parts consists of over 25GB of archived data consisting of over 35,000 files of sensitive bank data. Earlier in the campaign, we observed several posts containing targeting information, e.g. domains, IP addresses, etc for the bank on the deep web.

24 March 2022 – 20:49 UTC

GNG Claims to Hack Russian Mail Server, mail.ru

Georgia’s Society of Hackers (GNG) announced today they successfully attacked Russia’s equivalent to Gmail, mail.ru, including their maps.mail.ru subdomain. The hacktivist group is in process of exfiltrating the data and will provide the detailed data dump in the next few days.

As of time of writing this, the maps.mail.ru website is online and operational.

24 March 2022 – 14:11 UTC

Anonymous Shares Proof of Hacked ATMs in Russia

Earlier today, users at what appears to be a Sberbank ATM reportedly located in Russia experienced technical errors when selecting the Russian language on the screen. Upon selection, the ATM monitor quickly flashes to the Ukrainian flag and the words Glory to Ukraine (Слава Україні!). See the video captured video here.

ATM malware is widely circulated on the darknet and used extensively in the fraud and financial crime communities.

24 March 2022 – 10:43 UTC

Pro-Russian Killnet Launches Anonymous-Style Campaign Against Ukraine – Targets Poland and NATO

The pro-Russian cyber threat actor group, Killnet have been conducting attacks against Ukraine for several weeks and have stepped up their demands and threats against Ukraine and western Europe. Today, they released a video on social media, mirroring the ominous messaging of an Anonymous-style video with the Russian flag in the background. During the video, the group stated they would attack targets in Poland for their assistance to the Ukrainian government during the invasion. They recently also posted specific targeting information for the National Bank of Poland on their Telegram channel.

“…together with the Russian cyber army, we disabled 57 state websites of the Kiev regime, 19 websites of nationalist parties…”

The group also referred to the Colonial Pipeline attack in the US from May 2021.

[translated] “Let’s remember American gas company attack, which resulted in 40% paralyzed infrastructure of America for few days.”

23 March 2022 – 16:45 UTC

AnonGhost Claims to Hack Russian Street Lighting System and Drops Proofs of Access to Moxa Industrial Wireless Networking Infrastructure

AnonGhost known for their attacks against industrial control systems, continued their campaign against Russia by targeting МонтажРегионСтрой г. Рязань street light control system. They stated they successfully shutoff the street lights at 19:35 Moscow time and it was a “gorgeous show.”

Shortly before announcing the breach of the lighting contol panel, AnonGhost also provided proof of access to Moxa (moxa.com) industrial networking devices. They leaked proof of access to router information for a industrial wireless Moxa device, its associated OnCell specifications, along with defacement of the device’s name, description, and login message.

In addition to the proofs they linked to a pastebin file containing over 100 Russian Moxa IP addresses for additional targeting.

It’s unclear where the Moxa device compromise is physically located or whether the Moxa compromise provides direct access to the streetlight control system.

23 March 2022 – 02:44 UTC

BeeHive Cybersecurity Claims They Are Running Ransomware Campaigns Against Russian Targets

When one thought they only hijacked Discord users and trolled pro-Russian ‘hackers’ like @a_lead_1, BeeHive Cybersecurity claims they have been quiet because they are running ransomware operations against targets across Russia.

Oh, in case you guys were curious why we’ve been so quiet. May or may not have a new #ransomware operation running in Ru right now. Alas, we find allies quicker than Putin finds ways to invade Ukraine. We’ll have more details soon but…consider this the public disclosure.

This would not be the first Russia-specific ransomware variant to emerge. According to Trend Micro, RURansom was detected targeting Russian-specific devices with AES-CBC encryption and hard coded salt. Another ransomware variant recently detected, known as “Antiwar” appends the file extension, “putinwillburninhell” to encrypted files.

22 March 2022 – 19:14 UTC

ATW (Blue Hornet) Compromises Russia’s Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Service with Bitbucket

The AgainstTheWest / Blue Hornet team has recently leaked several internal documents from Russia’s Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring service (spelled by the threat actors as ROSHYDRO). According to open sources, the monitoring service is hosted on the meteorf.ru domain. The data leaks consists of 45 PDF files containing historical software change descriptions and feature requests from the company’s internal software development tracking system. ATW refers to a superadmin account for the GIS FEB RAS Team on Bitbucket in the leak.

21 March 2022 – 22:44 UTC

ATW Returns to Campaign with Attacks Against Almaz-Antey

After a disruption in the ATW team’s cyber activities due to personal issues, the ATW/Blue Hornet team returns leaking a 9GB archive of data allegedly exfiltrated by breaching Almaz-Antey’s corporate networks. The data leak includes employee login data, multiple documents containing PII, confidential and classified intellectual property, schematics, and SQL database files.

Almaz-Antey (Russian: ОАО “Концерн ВКО “Алмаз-Антей”) is one of Russia’s largest defense and arms enterprises, known for the development of Russian anti-aircraft defense systems, cruise missiles, radar systems, artillery shells, and UAVs.

21 March 2022 – 15:26 UTC

Anonymous Targets Russian Software Developer, naumen.ru

Hacktivists from the Anonymous collective have leaked data exfiltrated from Naumen, a software vendor and cloud services provider in Moscow. The company markets itself as “world class IT solutions fully adapted to the Russian market” and lists several prominent international companies as partners. The leaked data consists of an SQL database containing thousands of usernames, email addresses, hashed passwords, and associated PII. The specific purpose and origins of the database from inside Naumen is unclear, but partner companies could experience supply chain / vendor risk issues.

21 March 2022 – 03:27 UTC

KelvinSec Targets Nestle for Continued Commercial Operations in Russia

The KelvinSec ‘hacking’ team have reportedly compromised Nestle in retaliation for continuing to operate and distribute their products in Russia. The group leaked multiple databases from Nestle consisting of customer entity data, orders, payment information, and passwords (10GB total). The group insisted its a “partial” database leak and more data may be released in the future.

Nestle defended its business decision after President Zelenskyy called the company out to protestors on Saturday night in Bern, Switzerland.

(Update 3/22 – 01:48 UTC) Anonymous issues warning and gives a number of US companies 48 hours notice to pull out of Russia or become targets of the #opRussia cyber offensive campaign. Example corporations include: Subway, Chevron, General Mills, Burger King, citrix, and CloudFlare.

20 March 2022 – 23:33 UTC

Anonymous Compromises Russian Social Media VK to Send Message to Millions

Anonymous accesses VK’s messaging platform and sends direct messages to over 12 million Russian users of the social media app. The message, written in Russian, speaks to the realities of the war in Ukraine, the demise of the Russian economy, and threatens that users using the Russian “Z” insignia on as their profile avatar will be targeted by international authorities.

VK users have shared proofs of the message received to confirm the campaign in VK occurred.

20 March 2022 – 15:32 UTC

GhostSec Leaks Military Asset Monitoring System and More from Russian Networks

The leak includes data exfiltrated from a military operational readiness monitoring website (orf-monitor.com), including inventory tracking of key Russian military assets; a leak of a Russian investment company that includes recent Chinese contract data; and lastly, technical data leaks from Russian Defense Contractor Kronshtadt, that includes computational specifications related to their UAVs, along with military operational doctrine, etc.

GhostSec teased on their Telegram channel they had more data coming and this archive they were sharing was a sample of a much bigger dataset.

20 March 2022 – 13:40 UTC

Honest Railworkers in Belarus Help Stop Lines Going to Ukraine

According to open source reporting and the hacktivist group known as Cyber Partisans, the railways going out of Belarus into Ukraine have stopped. Earlier in the campaign, Cyber Partisans disrupted rail operations in Belarus using cyber attacks against ticketing systems and switching systems; however, others report that the rails are inoperable due to “honest railworkers” who do not want to see Belarus military equipment transported into Ukraine for use in this war. (Source)

“I recently appealed to Belarusian railway workers not to carry out criminal orders and not transport Russian military forces in the direction of Ukraine. At the present moment, I can say that there is no railway connection between Ukraine and Belarus. I cannot discuss details, but I am grateful to Belarus’s railway workers for what they are doing” – Oleksandr Kamyshin, director of the Ukrzaliznytsya state railroad

20 March 2022 – 10:28 UTC

Arvin Club Takes Down STORMOUS Ransomware’s Tor Onion Service

Shortly after STORMOUS ransomware gang setup a Tor onion service, the Arvin Club ransomware group compromised their site and leaked SQL databases, information, and performance schemas. It’s unclear whether or not this attack occurred out of STORMOUS’s Russian allegiance or if Arvin merely wanted to teach the cyber criminals a lesson in setting up secure sites on the darknet.

The STORMOUS ransomware group had previously operated only on Telegram.

(UPDATE) As of 3/22 the Tor service is still offline.

20 March 2022 – 02:18 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Database from Russian Aerospace Company Utair

Hacktivists from the Anonymous collective have released the customer database for Russia’s Utair airlines. (Russian: ОАО «Авиакомпания «ЮТэйр»). The JSON database appears to have been collected long before the 2022 #opRussia campaign, as the MongoDB is dated 2019. There are records containing personal data for over 530,000 clients using Utair’s services.

18 March 2022 – 21:29 UTC

nB65 Leaks Data from Russian Space Agency

After a disappointing trolling exercise against Kaspersky, the nb65 hacktivist group returns with data leaks from Russia’s Space Agency, Roscosmos. The group claims they still have persistent access to the agency’s vehicle management system and leaked the IP of the compromised network to prove their access. The leaked data archive consists of over 360MB of user and operations manual, along with solar observatory logs.

Hours earlier, the group also claims to have compromised tensor.ru and leaked 1.6GB of compromised emails for a corporate mailbox for the Russian digital signature company.

18 March 2022 – 15:39 UTC

Russia Targets Ukraine Red Cross Website in Cyber Attack

The Ukrainian Red Cross reported their Internet web servers have been hacked, likely by Pro-Russian cyber threat actors. The website domain – redcross.org.ua – is currently offline with the statement “account disabled by administrator.”

The social media account for the Ukrainian Red Cross stated that no personal data of beneficiaries stored on the website were compromised by the cyber attack.

The Ukrainian Red Cross staff and volunteers are busy and actively providing medical aid and support to vulnerable and wounded Ukrainian civilians across the country as Russian military continue their barrage of cruise missile strikes.

17 March 2022 – 11:43 UTC

AnonGhost Leaks Screenshots of GNSS Satellite Hacks Along with IP Addresses

AnonGhost shared several screenshots as proof of attacks they conducted against Russia’s Trimble GNSS satellite interface. They claimed on social media that other “fake Anonymous” accounts had taken credit for the operation. They also leaked 48 unique IP addresses associated with the GNSS satellite systems. The group did not specify the nature of the attacks against the Russian assets.

17 March 2022 – 09:23 UTC

Anonymous Claims to Have Located Putin’s Bunker

Using OSINT analysis involving satellite imagery and topography and landmark comparisons like rivers and powerplants, the Anonymous community claims they have detected President Putin’s bunker. There no means to verify the accuracy of these assertions.

17 March 2022 – 03:58 UTC

Anonymous Leaks 79 GBs of Emails from R&D Department of Transneft – OMEGA

DDoSecrets released the data on behalf of Anonymous hackers operating in cyber campaigns against Russia. Anonymous compromised email inboxes of OMEGA Company, the R&D arm of Russia’s state-controlled pipeline company known as Transneft [Транснефть]. Transneft is the world’s largest oil pipeline company with over 70,000 kilometres (43,000 miles) of trunk pipelines and transports an estimated 80% of oil and 30% of oil products produced in Russia. The emails cover the accounts’ most recent activity, including after the introduction of US sanctions on February 25, 2022. Some of the emails reflect some of the effects of those sanctions.

16 March 2022 – 10:47 UTC

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Requests Information via Tor

Russia’s external intelligence agency has issued instructions on how to establish secure communcations via their Virutal Reception System (VRS) to relay any threats to the Russian Federation. The call for leads, found on svr.gov.ru, details how to install the Tor anonymous network, details the v3 .onion address of their secure communications system, and advises the informant using PGP in order to further encrypt the details of any messages provided.

“If you are outside Russia and have important information regarding urgent threats to the security of the Russian Federation, you can safely and anonymously share it with us via the virtual reception system (VRS) of the SVR over the TOR network.”

If you are in hostile environment and/or have reasons to worry about your security, do not use a device (smartphone, computer) registered to you or associated in any way with you or people from your personal settings for network access. Relate the importance of information you want to send us with the security measures you are taking to protect yourself!

15 March 2022 – 11:48 UTC

Pro-Russian Group Xaknet Threatens to Attack Critical Infrastructure Information Centers

“We cannot endlessly give you ‘lessons of politeness.’ We demand the cessation of hacker attacks against Russian infrastructures, we demand the cessation of the activities of information centers for the dissemination of fakes.

In case of refusal, we will be forced to use the most sophisticated methods, and reserve the right to act as the enemy does. Critical information infrastructure facilities will become a priority target for the group. All work will be aimed at the complete destablization of the activities of the aforementioned CIIs.”

It’s unclear from the threats what specific websites or services the cyber threat group considers critical infrastructure information services. The IT Army of Ukraine’s extensive information operations spread across most all social media platforms and information communication mediums across Russia.

15 March 2022 – 07:19 UTC

User on Telegram Leaks New Letter from FSB

A user on pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel (name redacted) has released a new letter, reportedly from an FSB agent, translated into English.

The temperature has really risen here, it’s hot and uncomfortable. I won’t be able to communicate for some time here in the future. I hope we can chat normally again in a few days. There are a lot of things that I have to share with you…
The questions are raised by the FSO (Federal Protective Service of the Russian Federation, aka Putin’s Praetorian Guard) and the DKVR (Russian Military Counterintelligence Department). It is precisely the DKVR that is mounted on horseback and is looking for “moles” and traitors here (FSB) and in the Genstaff (General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation) regarding leaks of Russian column movements in Ukraine. Now the task of each structure is to transfer the fault to others and to make the guilt of others more visible. Almost all members of the FSB are busy with this task at the moment.

The focus is on us more than others at the moment, due to the hellish circumstances regarding the intra-political situation in Ukraine: We (the FSB) have released reports that at least 2,000 trained civilians in every major city of Ukraine were ready to overthrow Zelensky (President of Ukraine). And that at least 5,000 civilians were ready to come out with flags against Zelensky at the call of Russia. You want to laugh ? We (FSB) were supposed to be the judges to crown Ukrainian politicians who were supposed to start tearing each other apart arguing for the right to be called “Russia’s allies.” We even set criteria on how to select the brightest of the most competent (among Ukrainian politicians). Of course, some concerns have been raised about the possibility that we may not be able to attract a large number of people (Ukrainian politicians) to Western Ukraine, to small towns and to Lvov itself. What do we actually have? Berdyansk, Kherson, Mariupol, Kharkiv are the most populated pro-Russian areas (and there is no support for Russia even there). A plan can fall apart, a plan can be wrong. A plan can give a result of 90%, even 50%, or 10%. And that would be a total failure. Here it is 0.0%.

There is also a question: “How did this happen?” This question is actually a (misleading) trap. Because 0.0% is an estimate derived from many years of work by very serious (high-ranking) officials.
And now it turns out that they are either agents of the enemy or simply incomprehensible (according to the FSO / DKVR who are now looking for “moles” within the FSB).

But the question does not end there. If they are so bad, then who appointed them and who controlled their work? It turns out that they are people of the same quality but of a higher rank. And where does this pyramid of responsibilities stop? At the boss (Putin).
And this is where the evil games begin: Our dear Александр Васильевич (Alexander Vasilyevich Bortnikov – Director of the whole FSB) cannot fail to understand how badly he got caught. (Bortnikov realizes the deep mess he is in now)

And our evil spirits from the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation) and the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service – equivalent to the CIA) understand everything [and not only from these two organizations]. The situation is so bad that there are no limits to the possible variations (of events that will happen), but something extraordinary is going to happen.”

Shortly after a first letter from an FSB whistleblower surfaced around 5 March, Putin quietly placed his FSB chief, Sergei Beseda and his deputy on house arrest last Sunday. While telling the public he arrested them for embezzlement charges, according to open-source reports, the “real reason is unreliable, incomplete, and partially false information about the political situation in Ukraine” and Putin is holding them responsible for the Ukrainians’ success in the invasion thus far.

14 March 2022 – 12:00 UTC

Russian State Duma of the Federal Assembly Confirms Censorship of VPNs

Citing it was “a difficult task” Alexander Khinshtein, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, commented that Russia’s media and propaganda agency, Roskomnadzor has been tasked with blocking over two dozen VPNs [virtual private networks] across Russia. (Source)

We anticipate that number to increase as Putin continues to crack down on Russian citizens’ media consumption.

VPNs have been targeted by Russian authorities since 2017, when an initial VPN law was passed. In 2019 many of the VPN providers across Russia received compliance demands from Roskomnadzor representatives via email – captured in the image below.

The demand for VPNs in the country has reportedly increased by over 2,000% in the last month. Users on Telegram encourage widespread use of anonymity tools like VPNs and Tor, and share links to VPN services still in operation and accessible in the region. Many of the VPNs are available via Telegram directly and offer free trial subscriptions to Russian users.

14 March 2022

Russian Cyber Actors Setup IT Army of Russia Group

The collective of cyber threat actors self identifies as the “IT Army of Russia”, mirroring the IT Army of Ukraine Telegram initiative, and claims it has targeted critical Ukrainian cyber services with DDoS attacks. The group has less than a 100 subscribers and many of the members are affiliated with the Killnet forum.

The group recently posted a detailed dox containing personal information for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy [in Ukrainian: Володимир Олександрович Зеленський]. The dossier contains specific information such as his date of birth, passport number, car registration details, and familial associations.

13 March 2022 – 09:31 UTC

Anonymous Germany Exfiltrates Data from Russian Rosneft Operations in Germany

An Anonymous hacktivist group from Germany, referring to themselves as “AnonLeaks” had access to the networks of Russia’s Rosneft subsidiary in Deutchland for almost two weeks and exfiltrated over 20 terrabytes of corporate data. According to a preliminary review, the data consists of laptop backups, virtual disk images, excel files, work instructions, and other operational information for the refinery.

Anonymous Germany emphasizes they did not have access to critical infrastructure in Germany, nor was the intent of their operation to access critical infrastructure for the refinery or compromise it in any way.

Rosneft is Germany’s third largest petroleum refinery company, processing roughly 12.5 million tons of crude oil per year.

(Update) Details of the leaked data has appeared on a dedicated Tor darknet service setup by the hacktivists.

13 March 2022 – 07:19 UTC

nB65 Claims to Be Jonathan Scott, a US-based Malware Researcher

Since the invasion, a social media account reportedly affiliated with the group nB65 was extremely active in sharing their leaks and targets across Russian networks – including claims of accessing Roscomos Space Agency. Most recently, they stated they had access to Kaspersky’s source code, with many teasers in the hours leading up to a what amassed to a disappointing dump of publicly available code from the Russian antivirus software developer. The group essentially trolled Kaspersky and received heavy criticism from members of the information security research community.

The owner of the group’s Twitter account claimed today they were in real life, Jonathan Scott, a US-based Computer Science PhD student researching mobile spyware and IoT malware. Shortly after, the Twitter account for the group was deleted.

11 March 2022 – 06:25 UTC

GhostSec Claims to Access, Shutdown, and Deface Control Panel of Russian ICS via SCADA Attack

GhostSec continues their offensive against Russian critical infrastructure with attacks affecting industrial controls systems. Today, they claimed they successfully accessed an unknown Russian industrial control system, deface the control panel, and shut the system down. They also stated they deleted the backups to make restoring services more challenging.

They included the screenshot below which appears to correlate to a typical ICS system. The name or location of the network was not identified.

11 March 2022 – 01:34 UTC

BeeHive Cybersecurity Enters Campaign and Targets Pro-Russian Discord Users

A pro-Ukrainian group, known as “BeeHive Cybersecurity” claims to have attacked over 2,700 pro-Russian Discord users, compromising their accounts and defacing their profiles with statements about the realities in Ukraine posted in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

The group insinuates that they “CnC [command and control] the platforms of the ignorant” and use compromised devices to help combat disinformation.

10 March 2022 – 12:30 UTC

KelvinSec Leaks Private Chats from Darknet Tor Service: Database Market

KelvinSec, a pro-Ukrainian cyber threat actor on the darknet, has leaked 3,178 files containing the private chats from DATABASE Market. DATABSE is a relatively newly-launched service on Tor, where carding and fraud cyber-criminals congregate and transact.

The service is allegedly hosted by IT Resheniya on the IP address 45.155.204.178. KelvinSec reported they infilitrated the market via an insecure direct object reference vulnerability, commonly called “IDOR” which gives an attacker access to the website’s hidden information.

The compromised Tor service is still active as of time of writing.

10 March 2022 – 11:24 UTC

DDoSecrets Leaks Over 800GB of Data from Russian Media Censor, Roskomnadzor

The whistleblower leak site, DDoSecrets has obtained 360,000 files from Роскомнадзор (Roskomnadzor) via hacktivists from the Anonymous campaign against Russia. Roskomnadzor is a Russian state-controlled agency responsible for monitoring, controlling and censoring Russian mass media. The agency is responsible for the recent crackdowns on digital bans of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The two part dataset totals over 800 GB including files, emails, and information critical about their operations.

10 March 2022 – 08:35 UTC

GhostSec Hits Hundreds of Printers Across Russia

GhostSec reportedly hacks hundreds of printers across Russia to spread the message about realities in Ukraine. They tagged on to the announcement an obscure 4chan meme, “Hey Russia do you liek mudkipz?” on their Telegram channel. The stated they are targeting Russian government and military networks for the printer exploit.

9 March 2022 – 20:05 UTC

Pro-Russian Group, devilix-EU Joins Campaign Against Ukraine and the US

Late last week, a new Pro-Russian persona appeared on social media and began sharing pro-Russia propaganda, Pro-Trump rhetoric, and counter #opRussia Anonymous content. Over the last five days, they’ve ramped up their attacks claiming to have compromised AWS instances, Microsoft IIS sysstems, and performed BGP hijacking with mentions of several US-based IP addresses.

The group makes further claims that they’re named after their own custom ransomware, “DEVILIX shark.”

DEVILIX named as me is one of the strongest viruses on the world DEVILIX shark is ransomware which can do anything we can create BotNet. where we want. Just a Simple but it’s not.

They most recently shared their thoughts about the cyber war in Russian, declaring that this was not about Ukraine and Russia, but the US and NATO and their intent to keep Russia and Ukraine divided.

Я вижу, что речь идет о двух сторонах, России и Украине. Почему мы разделены из-за политики? Разве вы не видите, что здесь делает Запад и хочет, чтобы мы были разделены. НАТО избежало конфликтов, и теперь привет! Слава России

[Google Translate]

I see that we are talking about two sides, Russia and Ukraine. Why are we divided because of politics? Don’t you see what the West is doing here and wants us to be divided. NATO has avoided conflicts, and now hello! Glory to Russia

8 March 2022 – 21:05 UTC

Anonymous Hacks Hundreds of Russian Security Cameras, Many Affiliated with Russian Government Ministries

Hacktivists from the Anonymous Collective successfully tapped the security camera feeds of hundreds of retail businesses, restaurants, schools, and government installations across Russia. They setup a website to share the leaked camera feeds — all to discover some where critical security offices. Anonymous also defaced security camera displays with the message:

Putin is killing children
352 Ukrainian civilians dead
Russia lied to 200rf.com
Slava Ukraini! Hacked by Anonymous

8 March 2022 – 18:34 UTC

nb65 Group Claims to Have Acquired Kaspersky’s Source Code

After keeping quiet for several days, the group sent out mysterious posts across social media claiming to have accessed Kaspersky source code and found “interesting relationships” in this code.

They also claimed it was “sloppier than Putin’s invasion.”

7 March 2022 – 17:31 UTC

22nd Member of Notorious TrickBot Gang Doxxed

The pro-Ukrainian affiliate of the Trickbot cybercriminal empire has leaked the personal identity of 22 key members of the gang along with private chats between group members. Since the 4th of March, DarkOwl has seen the following aliases mentioned: baget, strix, fire, liam, mushroom, manuel, verto, weldon, zulas, naned, angelo, basil, hector, frog, core, rocco, allen, cypher, flip, dar, and gabr.

7 March 2022 – 13:01 UTC

Digital Cobra Gang Claims 49 “A-Groups” Led by Conti and Cobra Are Attacking America Cyberspace

The Pro-Russian group entered the campaign shortly after Anonymous started #opRussia (28 Feb) with the statement:

“DIGITAL COBRA GANG DCG has officially declared cyber war on hackers who attacking Russia as well and to protect justice”

They’ve given little indication of success, other than inflated claims they have acquired over 92Tb data from US’s military personnel files but no proof has been published.

Earlier today, they posted that members of Conti were helping and 49 “A-team” groups were hacking Amera.

(9 March 2022) – US AWS and Azure cloud platforms have experienced higher than normal traffic on the network but no major disruptions.

7 March 2022 – 06:44 UTC

RedBanditsRU Leaks Russian Electrical Grid Source Code Data

The pro-Russian group, originally assembled to counter-hack Anonymous and cyber actors targeting Russian organizations, posted today that they are leaking the source code Rosseti Centre’s [mrsk-1[.]ru] electrical grid networking infrastructure. Rosseti Centre provides reliable electricity for more than 13 million people in the subjects of the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation.

The group is sharing this information because they believe Putin and his supporters are “leading this country to an apocalypse state.”

DarkOwl warns security researchers opening these archives should always use isolated sandbox environments in the event there is malware and viruses included in the leak.

7 March 2022 – 04:55 UTC

AgainstTheWest (ATW) Returns to the Fight and Drops Multiple Leaks of Russian Corporate Data

In the last 24 hours, ATW dropped URLs for at least 7 leaks corresponding to various Russian technical companies and organizations, reportedly breached by the cybercriminal group. ATW’s participation in the campaign has been controversial as they have had multiple dramatic departures and returns to the campaign and reports of “health issues” of some of the team’s members.

Security researchers reviewing the information from dataleaks last week calls into question the veracity of the information ATW is sharing. Checkpoint released analysis stating that after, “checking their claims deeper reveals that for many of the claims there are no solid proofs apart of very generic screenshots that are allegedly from the breached organizations.”

(Update 7 March 2022 – 18:36 UTC) The group also posted to their Telegram channel that they had successfully breached a Russian cybersecurity company that has been “hording” US-based government data, exposure of multiple SonarQube instances and requested someone get in touch with them immediately. It’s unclear if this is legitimate or just further ego inflation.

6 March 2022

Free Civilian Tor Service Leaks Entire DIIA Contents

Recently, the administrator of Free Civilian shared a post on their Tor service containing the entire Ukraine’s DIIA database of users. They stated the buyer of the database consented to the release, with the understanding some records were deleted. The downloads consist of 60+ archives containing gigabytes of data. The download links have been unstable since DarkOwl discovered them.

The administrator also expressed desire to have the ban on their “Vaticano” Raid Forums account lifted, claiming this leak proved the legitimacy of the information they shared back in January.

Recently, screenshots of an indictment for the alleged seizure of Raid Forums on VeriSign has been in circulation, after users spoke of rifts between pro-Ukrainian users and Russian hackers, potential FBI seizures, and the alleged hijacking the alias of former admin Omnipotent on Darknet World. Prominent users from the forum have setup RF2 and advised any old working Raidforums links are likely phishing logins for the FBI.

6 March 2022 – 18:43 UTC

Anonymous Continues Information Warfare Against Russian Media; Video Services Wink and ivi Stream Anti-War Messaging

After Putin’s overt authoritarian take on media sharing the realities of the war in Ukraine, Anonymous managed to hack Russian video services Wink and ivi to stream pro-Ukrainian messages and video of the conflict.

This weekend, Putin’s parliament passed a “fake-news” law imposing prison sentences for media using the words “war” or “invasion” prompting numerous western outlets to pull their journalists and suspend operation.

6 March 2022 – 15:39 UTC

AnonGhost Enters Campaign and Claims SCADA Attacks Against Multiple Russian Infrastructure Targets

This weekend, AnonGhost entered Anonymous’ #opRussia campaign with a vengence, and claims today they have hacked multiple Russian infrastructure control systems via SCADA attacks and “shut it down.”

They list the following targets:

Волховский РПУ> Volkhov RPU
Бокситогорский РПУ> Boksitogorsk RPU
Лужский РПУ> Luga RPU
Сланцевский РПУ> Slantsevsky RPU
Тихвинский РПУ> Tikhvinsky RPU
Выборгское РПУ> Vyborg RPU

This is after they leaked data from 9 Russian commercial servers hours earlier.

azovkomeks[.]ru
vserver24[.]ru
dvpt[.]ru
ach[.]gov[.]ru
itmo[.]ru
vpmt[.]ru
pvlt[.]ru
hwcompany[.]ru
corbina[.]ru

DarkOwl is in the process of pulling in this data to review and assess the contents of all of the databases.

The AnonGhost group is reportedly one of the more senior anonymous hacktivist teams in the underground, with reporting of the group going back to the early 2010s. According to open-source reporting, AnonGhost was led by Mauritania Attacker. In an online interview with a hacker’s blog in 2013, Mauritania Attacker claimed to be a 25 year old male from Mauritania who started hacking at a young age by joining TeaMp0isoN and ZCompany Hacking Crew (ZHC), two hacking groups known for their attacks of high-profile targets such as NATO, NASA, the UN, and Facebook. (Source)

For those who remember Stuxnet, SCADA type attacks are controversial as there is a fine line between disruption and destruction. Services knocked offline but able to be restored is disruptive and inconvient, causing delays in operation and psychological concern over the safety of such services. However, disruptions that lead to destructive events, e.g. hard disks wiped and unrecoverable, de-railed trains, power plant overheating resulting in explosions, & satellites falling out of the sky are considered serious and may be interpreted as an act of war and result in severe retaliation.

Yesterday, Putin declared western sanctions an act of war and uttered similar threats about hacking satellites earlier this week.

6 March 2022 – 14:52 UTC

GhostSec Returns with Leaks from Russia’s Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) and Department of Information (DOI) FTP Server Data

Hours ago, an archive consisting of several gigabyte emerged from GhostSec reportedly containing information from Russia’s nuclear research and disinformation activities. GhostSec has been silent for most the last week, perhaps busy with this activity.

According to their website (jinr.ru), the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research is an international intergovernmental organization established through the Convention signed on 26 March 1956 by eleven founding States and registered with the United Nations on 1 February 1957.

As of time of writing, the public facing website is online.

6 March 2022 – 12:34 UTC

Anonymous Dumps Leak of 139 Million Russian Email Addresses

An archive of over 139 Million email addresses, broken up into 15 separate files with mail_ru at the beginning of each file, lists the email addresses for presumed account holders for mail_ru services. VK (VKontakte) assimilated mail.ru email services into its internet services conglomerate in the fall of 2021.

The files included two additional HTML files with ominous warnings – possibly shared on the servers from which these leaks were obtained.

[image translation]

Russian soldiers!
If you think that you are going to an exercise, in fact you are being sent to Ukraine to DIE.

DarkOwl has not determined the veracity of this data, nor confirmed how these emails were obtained; some combolists of this nature are created as an aggregation of other leaked data.

As of time of writing, mail.ru’s public facing website is still online and operational.

5 March 2022 – 20:41 UTC

Anonymous Targets Russian FSB; Letter Appears from Possible FSB Whistleblower

The Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation [Федеральная служба безопасности (ФСБ)] is the principal security and intelligence agency of Russia and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB.

Earlier today, Anonymous hacktivists targeted the FSB (at the direction of the IT Army Ukraine) and managed to take the external facing website offline. Rumors on social media and chatrooms suggested Anonymous managed to “breach” the FSB’s server.

Shortly after the announcement of the website’s offline status (e.g. #TangoDown) a deep web paste emerged containing a list of 62 subdomains for the fsb.ru domain. This could be for additional targeting and exploitation.

The stability and alliances of members of the FSB are in question by threat intelligence and security researchers across the community. Last night, an alleged FSB whistle-blower letter surfaced (via the founder of http://gulagu.net) that damned Russia’s military performance in Ukraine and predicted a disaster for the RU in the next weeks and months. An English translation of the letter has appeared in the deep web (excerpt below).

To be honest, the Pandora’s box is open – a real global horror will begin by the summer – global famine is inevitable (Russia and Ukraine were the main suppliers of grain in the world, this year’s harvest will be smaller, and logistical problems will bring the catastrophe to a peak point). I can’t tell you what guided those at the top when deciding on the operation, but now they are methodically lowering all the dogs on us (the Service).

We are scolded for analytics – this is very in my profile, so I will explain what is wrong. Recently, we have been increasingly pressed to customize reports to the requirements of management – I once touched on this topic. All these political consultants, politicians and their retinue, influence teams – all this created chaos. Strong. Most importantly, no one knew that there would be such a war, they hid it from everyone.

And here’s an example for you: you are asked (conditionally) to calculate the possibility of human rights protection in different conditions, including the attack of prisons by meteorites. You specify about meteorites, they tell you – this is so, reinsurance for calculations, nothing like this will happen. You understand that the report will be just for show, but you need to write in a victorious style so that there are no questions, they say, why do you have so many problems, did you really work badly. In general, a report is being written that when a meteorite falls, we have everything to eliminate the consequences, we are great, everything is fine.

And you concentrate on tasks that are real – we don’t have enough strength anyway. And then suddenly they really throw meteorites and expect that everything will be according to your analytics, which was written from the bulldozer.

That is why we have a total piz_ets – I don’t even want to pick another word.

5 March 2022 – 16:37 UTC

Anonymous Claims to Breach Yandex (Russia’s Mail and Search Service); Leaks Account Credentials

DarkOwl discovered two leaks shared through the Anonymous hacktivist collective network consisting of over 5.2 Million user accounts’ email addresses and password combinations. We are in the process of analyzing this data leak to determine the veracity of its contents. 1.1 Million Yandex accounts were previously dumped in 2014. Many hackers are using #opRussia to opportunistically claim clout for breaches that did not occur, when in reality they are circulating old previously dumped data and/or verifying accounts by credential stuffing.

5 March 2022 – 15:23 UTC

Paypal Suspends Service in Russia

Paypal announced on LinkedIn they would be halting its operations in Russia; a statement released days after suspending signing up new users on the payment platform on Tuesday. Dan Schulman, CEO wrote:

We remain steadfast in our commitment to bring our unique capabilities and resources to bear to support humanitarian relief to those suffering in Ukraine who desperately need assistance. We will also continue to care for each other as a global employee community during this difficult and consequential time.

On Wednesday, 3 March, the IT Army of Ukraine launched a petition calling for all supporters to sign a petition on change.org:

[TRANSLATION]

While Ukraine protects its people and places, and Russia faces the radical consequences of its war crimes, the most popular payment service via PayPal is still available to the aggressor. This means that it also helps finance the bloody war against Ukraine through PayPal.

We are absolutely sure that modern technologies are a powerful response to tanks, grads and missiles. We call on the company to block its services in Russia via PayPal and launch them in Ukraine, as well as provide an opportunity to raise funds to restore justice and peace in our country and the world.

5 March 2022 – 15:03 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Private RocketChat Conversations from Russian Government Officials

Anonymous is targeting Russia by any means possible and managed to collect private chats between Russian officials on the messaging service, rocket.chat. After review, these chats are different from the ones dropped by @contileaks last week.

The chat includes the network ID, username, and “real name” of 14 members of the chat group. The domain associated with the leak corresponds to the official website of the Russian government and the Governor of the Moscow region.

5 March 2022 – 06:04 UTC

squad303 Sets Up SMS Messaging System to Text Random Russian Citizen Phone Numbers

With the lack of Russian media coverage of the invasion of Ukraine and the intentional misinformation spread by Putin’s disinformation agencies, a pro-Ukraine hacktivist collective, known as squad303 setup an SMS messaging system for citizens around the globe to use to randomly text Russian citizens a scripted message about the nature of world events.

The squad303 team also setup an API for more advanced users.

Update: As of 8AM UTC, 6 March 2022, the service had been used to send over 2 Million texts Russian mobile phone numbers.

The team also reports of suffering from heavy DDoS attacks from pro-Russian cyber actors.

5 March 2022 – 02:34 UTC

Anonymous Hackers Claim to Have Accessed Communication Data for a Russian Military Satellite

After nb65’s reported success accessing Roscosmos earlier this week, it appears that members of the Anonymous collective under the campaign #opRussia have ventured into breaching the communications of Russian military satellite for data collection. The satellite – designated COSMOS 2492 (aka glonass132) is likely active in geospatial intelligence collection over Ukraine for Russia. (note: the original indication of the connection occurred 4 March 2022 @ 09:35 by Anonymous collective member, @shadow_xor.)

DarkOwl also uncovered a leak shared by LulzSec member @shadow_xor titled, “Leak_RUSAT_shadow_xor.zip” which contains significant geopositioning data since the satellite’s launch in 2014. The hacker stated they could not change the coordinates of the satellite, but did capture orbital, passage, and communications data.

Our original reporting on this suggested the hackers were Russian-based, but further analysis only indicated that a number of Russian-based hackers supported the attack on COSMOS 2492.

4 March 2022 – 18:16 UTC

Putin Officially Bans Facebook in Russia

In order to combat the information operations campaign against them online, Putin ordered for ISPs to block Facebook servers and websites across Russia. Security researchers also note an uptick in Russian trolls on social media with bot accounts promoting Putin’s military operations in Ukraine.

Putin’s parliament also passed a law imposing prison terms of up to 15 years for individuals spreading intentionally “fake news” about the military. The terms “invasion” and “war” are no longer allowed in press and media coverage.

Several foreign and Western media outlets, including BBC, CNN, and Bloomberg, have temporarily suspended reporting on the war from Russia.

4 March 2022 – 09:44 UTC

NB65 Teases Information Security Community with Riddles on their Activities

NB65 – the pro-Ukrainian group who claimed responsibility for accessing and shutting down Russia’s spy satellites via SCADA vulnerabilities – teased the information security community that they been quiet cause they were parsing and analyzing numerous vulnerabilities in Russian cyber targets.

If we seem quiet, it’s because we have an olympic sized swimming pool worth of data and vulnerabilities. But here’s some fun that you can participate in…

DarkOwl discovered a post matching the target hidden in the riddle and the content suggests the group has access to RUNNET: Russia’s UNiversity Network.

4 March 2022

IT Army of Ukraine Calls for Volunteers to Support the Internet Forces of Ukraine

Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation steps up its information warfare against Putin’s propaganda by forming the Internet Forces of Ukraine (ITU). Forming a separate Telegram channel at the start of the month, the channel is dedicated to posting instructions and guidance for citizens around the world that want to aid Ukraine and lack an IT/cybersecurity background.

Друзі, наш ворог, окрім наявної війни у наших містах та селах, веде також інформаційну війну. Не вірте фейкам, не вірте брехні пропаганди путіна – ніякої капітуляції України НЕ БУДЕ!!! У нас потужна армія, ми сильні духом і нас підтримує весь світ! Тому, не ведіться на провокації і вірте в Україну. Поширюйте це серед рідних та близьких у соціальних мережах, щоб вони також не велись на нісенітниці кремля. Ми разом і ми переможемо!!🇺🇦

Friends, our enemy, in addition to the existing war in our cities and villages, is also waging an information war. Do not believe fakes, do not believe the lies of Putin’s propaganda – there will be no capitulation of Ukraine!!! We have a powerful army, we are strong in spirit and we are supported by the whole world! Therefore, do not be fooled by provocations and believe in Ukraine. Spread this to your family and friends on social networks, so that they also do not fall for the Kremlin’s nonsense. We are together and we will win!! 🇺🇦

4 March 2022 – 01:46 UTC

Trickbot Gang Members Doxxed and Links to FSB Confirmed

At 15:00 UTC, before DarkOwl could even finish analyzing the ContiLeaks, a Ukrainian-aligned underground account leaked details of key members of the infamous TrickBot gang. Over the course of the day at a cadence of every 2 hours, dossiers for the individuals appeared on social media. Private chats between members of the gang were included with each of the leaks. 7 male members and their aliases identified: baget, fire, strix, mushroom, manuel, verto, and liam. Twitter has since suspended the account.

3 March 2022 – 20:54 UTC

Russian-Aligned Hackers Target Anonymous Hacktivists in Canada

A pro-Russian cyber group using the name Digital Cobras, claims to have been targeting #opRussia hackers from the Anonymous collective across the US, UK, Greece, and Canada. Earlier today, they posted several names of individuals along with pictures of some of the alleged members of Anonymous.

They also claimed to have “hacked Anonymous’ servers” and downloaded over 260gb of their files and tools. They also claimed to have full access of the administration of Tor Project, including their crypto accounts.

Anonymous does not possess servers or centrally locate their information or tools as it is an organic decentralized collective of hacktivists around the world. Similarly, the Tor Project is run by a network of volunteers.

It is very likely this group is designed to spread disinformation and FUD.

3 March 2022

Size of Zeronet Anonymous Network Increases Since Invasion

In the week since the Putin launched an invasion against the Ukrainian people, DarkOwl has noticed an increase of 385 Zeronet domains in the last week and a near 20% increase in the network’s activity. Zeronet has been historically most heavily used by Chinese threat actors. The trend in “new domain” activity appears to have started on or about February 27th, within hours after the IT Army of Ukraine rallied the underground.

The Tor Project has reported significant increases in the number of unique addresses on Tor on the same day.

3 March 2022 – 17:10 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Database Containing Bank Account Holders Information

bkdr – member of the Anonymous hacktivist collective – released an Excel spreadsheet containing the personal information of over 8,700 business bank account holders in Russia. Full names, passport, DoBs, account standing, etc are included in the file.

3 March 2022 – 15:40 UTC

Pro-Russian Cyber Team, Killnet Claims To Hack Vodafone Services in Ukraine

Killnet, a Pro-Russian organized threat actor has claimed they were successful in attacking Vodafone’s telecommunications services across Ukraine. The group shared links to the vodafone.ua website (as offline) and network graphs proving the website suffered an outage.

The group also claims to have attacked “Anonymous” networks directly, prompting criticism as the Anonymous hacktivist has no central severs or repositories.

[Google Translate]

Cellular communication services under the Vodafone trademark on the territory of Ukraine are provided by the partner of Vodafone Group plc, PRO “VF Ukraine”

⚠ OUR ATTACK WAS REPELLED [REFLECTED] AFTER 4 HOURS.

3 March 2022 – 05:22 UTC

Anonymous Breaches Private Server in Roscosmos and Defaces Website

v0g3lSec – member of the Anonymous hacktivist collective – claims to have infiltrated private servers at the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos and exfiltrated files from their Luna-Glob moon exploration missions. The archive consists of over 700 MBs. Many of the files are drawings, executables, and technical documents dating back to 2011. A scientific review of the content would be needed to assess the value of the information collected.

In addition the website for the Space Research Institute (IKI) Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN) was also defaced by the same group.

3 March 2022 – 01:11 UTC

Anonymous Leaks Data from Rosatom, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation

According to DarkOwl’s preliminary review of the 74 files, the leak appears to be a mixture of budget data, conference materials, powerpoint presentations, and technical files dating back to 2013. There is random mixture of information included that it is unclear whether this was obtained directly from a breach of the corporation’s servers, an employee at the organization, or collected via OSINT and compiled for use in #opRussia.

“There is no place for dictators in this world. You can’t touch the innocent, Putin. No secret is safe. State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom has been hacked!”

2 March 2022 – 19:55 UTC

ATW Quits Campaign – Cites Conflict with Anonymous, Attribution, and Twitter Suspension

Drama in the group started yesterday with AgainstTheWest claiming Anonymous was taking credit for their successes in the cyber war against Russia. They briefly turned their attention to China announcing several new victims, including the Chinese Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence organization. After their suspension from Twitter earlier today, they announced retirement claiming they had no means for communicating with the public. (Analysts note rebrand to BlueHornet occurred shortly after their announcement)

2 March 2022 – 19:09 UTC

Conti Leak Source Code, Panel, Builder, Decrypter Appear on Darknet Forum

Less than 48 hours after a pro-Ukrainian leaked the infrastructure of the CONTI gang’s operation, including botnet IP addresses and source code executables, users begin circulating the ransomware gang’s critical data across popular darknet forums and discussion boards.

2 March 2022 – 16:35 UTC

Leak Documents Surface Proving War Against Ukraine was Approved on 18 January

Anonymous hackers released photographs of captured documents from Russian troops titled, “WORKING MAP”, and authored by the commander of Russia’s Bomb Battery of the Black Sea Fleet. The maps and documents affirm to the public that the invasion of Ukraine was approved on January 18th with intention to seize the country sometime between 20 February and 06 March 2022. Liveuamap, under intermittent DDoS since this started, confirmed the data.

2 March 2022 – 13:52 UTC

XSS Admin Reports XMPP Jabber Service Ransomed and Heavy DDoS Attacks

A darknet forum popular with the Russian-speaking community has been experiencing technical issues, suffering from Jabber service outages and heavy DDoS attacks. The forum is well known in the darknet for malware discussions and coordination of attacks. The admin shared a post that the jabber service was hit with ransomware and the contents of the chats wiped from the services. They nonchalently suggested users register and continue using the service.

[Translated]

The server didn’t work yesterday. Because of ransom (which, by the way, is prohibited here) we were listed in a spamhouse. Instead of reporting the violation, the “brilliant” spamhouse immediately leafed through us. In principle, for many years I got used to their “adequacy”. I’m not surprised at anything. We have more than 21,000 users, and no one is able to check everyone. To do this, in fact, they came up with feedback contacts (xmpp, e-mail), they are listed everywhere.

Why, I wonder, they don’t block gmail.com ? So many, so to speak, violators of law and order use it, and nothing, for some reason they are not immediately listed.

In parallel with this, a powerful DDoS attack was conducted on us.

Our XMPP project is not commercial, completely free and subsidized. I’ve never understood the point of attacking toads.

At the moment, the functionality has been restored.

An unpleasant moment. Backups according to the law of meanness turned out to be broken. The last one alive was a week ago. Suddenly someone has lost contacts or a toad has disappeared, re-register.

2 March 2022 – 10:33 UTC

Leak Appears with Russian Air Force Officer’s Information

Anonymous leaked another database containing the personal information for over 300,000 of Russia’s military personnel and civilian citizens. The archive, titled “Translated Base Database” contains 35 separate database files containing personal details of the individuals. Information includes: full name, date of birth, age, passport number, address, occupation, etc.

1 March 2022 – 20:46 UTC

Russian Criminal Gang TheRedBanditsRU Recruits on Social Media – Offers Payments for Affiliates

The RedBandits openly recruit “affiliates for certain jobs” stating they did not want white hats, but that they want to “speak to exploit Devloplers, Spammers (phishing skills, vishing etc), Pentesters. We’re building an army!” They incentivize skilled hackers to join their cause for monetary gain, claiming partners would be paid well and to apply directly via qTox.

Earlier today, the group claimed that they did not agree with Putin as a leader nor of his invasion of Ukraine, but will protect him as a citizen of Russia.

“War is good for no one, come, take my hand, make money help your family”

1 March 2022 – 12:57 UTC

STORMOUS Ransomware Group Aligns With Russia

The STORMOUS ransomware group, which has been targeting international victims with their ransomware strain for months, claimed their alliance with the Russian government and threatens greater attacks against Ukraine.

The STORMOUS team has officially announced its support for the Russian governments. And if any party in different parts of the world decides to organize a cyber-attack or cyber-attacks against Russia, we will be in the right direction and will make all our efforts to abandon the supplication of the West, especially the infrastructure. Perhaps the hacking operation that our team carried out for the government of Ukraine and a Ukrainian airline was just a simple operation but what is coming will be bigger.

1 March 2022 – 09:26 UTC

Ukrainian Paper Leaks Personal Data for 120,000 Russian Military Personnel

In an effort to target the Russian soldiers invading Ukraine, the Centre for Defence Strategies in Ukraine has acquired the names and personal data of 120,000 servicemen who are fighting in Ukraine. Ukrainian newspaper, Ukrayinska Pravda has leaked the details of the soldiers which could be one of the biggest information warfare campaigns using doxing mid-military conflict, ever seen.

The doxxed soldiers are likely to face increased engagement on social media and direct phishing attacks.

1 Mar 2022 – 00:38 UTC

NB65 Takes on Russia’s Satellite Technology

nB65 claims that they successfully accessed Russia’s Roscosmos Space Agency and deleted the WS02, ‘rotated’ the credentials and shut down the server. They did not provide any leaks with the social media announcement.

The Russian Space Agency sure does love their satellite imaging. Better yet they sure do love their Vehicle Monitoring System.

Network Battalion isn’t going to give you the IP, that would be too easy, now wouldn’t it? Have a nice Monday fixing your spying tech. Glory to Ukraine.

28 February 2022 – 23:54 UTC

ATW Targets Russia’s Electrical Grid

AgainstTheWest Leaks Information from Russia’s PromEngineering corporation. Archives of corporate emails between employees, clients, vendors, as well as blueprints and engineering documentation for power stations around Russia are included in the leak.

28 February 2022 – 22:00 UTC

CONTI’s Entire Infrastructure Leaked

Does this signal the end of CONTI’s reign as leading RaaS?

Ukrainian aligned affiliate decides to destroy CONTI ransomware gang’s operation by exfiltrating and sharing 141 additional JSON data files of private Jabber chats from 2020, details of their server architecture, their sendmail phishing campaign data information, command and control botnet architecture, and ransomware executables (password protected). Analysis confirms that the gang uses BazarLoader backdoor for installing persistent malware on infected machines.

DarkOwl analysts also noted from leaked Jabber messages that RaaS affiliates were persistent at determining how to evade AV/EDR protection systems like Sophos and Carbon Black. Stating that they had setup sales calls and demos with Carbon Black and Sophos AV providers’ sales teams using proxy companies to gain more information, test the product and attempt to find specifics of the product’s AV/EDR bypass mechanisms.

This reminds us all the importance of vetting and verifying all commercial in-bounds for requests for demos and sales information, especially when it might present an opportunity to learn critical corporate intelligence.

The affiliate leaking the details wrote how this war against their people and Ukraine was breaking their heart.

My comments are coming from the bottom of my heart which is breaking over my dear Ukraine and my people. Looking of what is happening to it breaks my heart and sometimes my heart wants to scream.

28 February 2022 – 21:41 UTC

STORMOUS Ransomware Hits Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

The Pro-Russian STORMOUS ransomware gang claims to have attacked Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mfa.gov.ua using their custom ransomware. The group posts victims’ information on their Telegram channel, posting in both English and Arabic. The group stated the Ukraine government network “fragile” and called for DDoS attacks them.

Their network is fragile – their various data has been stolen and distributed according to their phone numbers, email, accounts and national card numbers with an internal network hacked and access to most essential files. This is with placing denial attacks on their main site !

28 February 2022 – 18:00 UTC

China’s Huawei Steps in to Assist Russia with ISP Network Instability

According to Chinese deep web forums, Huawei is reportedly building a mobile broadband in Russia to help with internet outages. As of 26 February, at least 50,000 technical experts will be trained in networking and securty in Russia’s R&D centers.

28 February 2022 – 12:00 UTC

Russian Gas Station Pumps Hacked

Video of disabled electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Russia surface, displaying error status and the following warning:

”Putin is a dick”, “Glory to Ukraine”, ”Glory to our heroes”,” death to our enemies”

27 February 2022 – 23:06 UTC

Anonymous for Ukraine Leaks Customer Data from Sberbank Russia

While Anonymous leaked the files, the credit for the hack goes to Hacktivist group, Georgia Hackers Society. The two text files (bygng.txt & bankmatbygng.txt) appear to be personal data from the financial institution with the bankmat file containing 4,568 records.

27 February 2022 – 21:00 UTC

CONTI RaaS Suffers for Professing Their Allegiance to the Russian Federation

DarkOwl just discovered 393 JSON files containing private Jabber chats from the ransomware group since January 2021 leaked online. Many of CONTI’s affiliates were displeased with the group’s alliance with Russia.

27 February 2022 – 19:00 UTC

ATW Claims to Take Down CoomingProject Ransomware Group

AgainstTheWest assesses “CoomingProject are actually one of the dumbest “threat” groups online.” AgainstTheWest statement on Twitter:

“RIP CoomingProject. All data on them is being passed to relevant authorities in France.”

27 February 2022 – 16:54 UTC

Cyberpartisans Take Belarusian Railway’s Data-Processing Network Offline

The hacktivist group of cyber specialists located in Belarus managed to force the railway switches to manual control mode, to significantly slow down the movement of trains. The webservers for the railway’s domains (pass.rw.by, portal.rw.by, rw.by) are also offline.

The rail services are being essentially held hostage until Russian troops leave Belarus and there is peace in Ukraine.

27 February 2022 – 11:00 UTC

AgainstTheWest Ransomware Gang Enters the Campaign

AgainstTheWest (ATW) claims to have attacked Russia’s Department of Digital Development and Communications of the Administration of the Pskov Region with their own custom “wiper” malware. All data has been reportedly saved and deleted.

27 February 2022 – 09:00 UTC

Anonymous Attacks Russian Critical Infrastructure

Tvingo Telecom offers fiber-optic networking, internet and satellite services. Tvingo Telecom is a major provider to Russian clients.

27 February 2022 – 00:00 UTC

GhostSec Leaks More Data and Claims Attacks Against Belarusian Cybercriminals, GhostWriter

GhostSec is active in the Anonymous cyber war against Russia and released a sample of databases stolen from additional government and municipality sites across Russia (economy.gov.ru and sudak.rk.gov.ru).

They state on their Telegram channel they have been conducting attacks against “Russian hackers” and the “hacker group GhostWriter” (a.k.a. UNC1151).

26 February 2022 – 18:00 UTC

IT ARMY of Ukraine Now Active on Telegram

A Telegram Channel titled “IT ARMY of Ukraine” appeared earlier today to help coordinate cyber activities against Russia. The channel has already accumulated over 96K followers. Posts are shared in Ukrainian and English containing target server IP addresses and media for mass distribution on social media.

Videos of what events are really happening across Ukraine have appeared on intercepted Russian State Television channels.

В найближчу годину буде одне із найголовніших завдань!

26 February 2022 – 16:00 UTC

Anonymous Hackers Interrupt Russian State Television

Multiple reports across underground chatrooms suggest Russian television was allegedly briefly interrupted to play Ukrainian music and display national images. (Source)

Ukraine’s telecommunications’ agency also announced that Russia’s media regulator’s site was down as well.

26 February 2022 – 09:00 UTC

Russia Restricts Facebook and Twitter to Control Information

Open source internet monitoring reporting organizations discovered Twitter has been blocked by multiple ISPs across Russia. Ukraine’s government is regularly posting on social media to show the Russian people they are still fighting in the invasion. Cybercriminals and hacktivist campaigns also disrupt Russia’s information operations by calling out disinformation bots and taking critical communications sites offline. Twitter has reportedly blocked account registrations from IPs originating in the Russian Federation.

Russia’s state-controlled television station, RT, is still offline.

26 February 2022 – 01:00 UTC

Hackers Leak Data from Belarusian Weapons Manufacturer Tetraedr on the Darknet

Anonymous Liberland and the Pwn-Bär Hack Team announce the start of #OpCyberBullyPutin and leak a two-part archive (200GB total) of confidential employee correspondences from prominent defense contractor and radar manufacturer, Tetraedr in Belarus. The first part is the most recent 1,000 emails from each employee inbox, in .EML format. The second part is a complete archive of each inbox in .PST format.

The hacktivists stated they successfully attacked the company through an unpatched ProxyLogon security vulnerability.

25 February 2022 – 23:30 UTC

Russian Military Radio Frequencies Hijacked

Ukrainian radio frequency (RF) hackers intercepted Russian military numbers stations UVB-76, frequency 4625KHz, and trolled Russia communications by playing Swedish pop group Caramella Girls’ Caramelldansen on top of the radio waves.

The group also successfully intercepted frequencies utilized by Russian strategic bomber planes.

25 February 2022

CoomingProject Ransomware Group Announces Support for Russia

Another ransomware gang sides with Russia officially declaring war against anyone conducting cyber attacks against the Russian government on their Telegram channel.

“Hello everyone this is a message we will help the Russian government if cyber attacks and conduct against Russia”

25 February 2022 – 21:00 UTC

Russia’s Gasprom Energy Corporation Knocked Offline

Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Gasprom (ПАО “Газпром”) is the largest natural gas transmission company in Eastern Russia. The company is mostly owned by the Russian government even though the shares are traded publicly.

The Anonymous hacktivist collective, operating their campaign against Russia via the hashtag #OpRussia, has claimed responsibility.

25 February 2022 – 20:00 UTC

Anonymous Hackers Leak Database for Russia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD)

Russia’s gov.ru and mil.ru website server authentication data, including hundreds of government email addresses and credentials, surface on transient deep web paste sites and Telegram channels. Another leak consisting of 60,000 Russian government email addresses is also now in circulation.

GhostSec, also participating in Anonymous’s cyberwar against Russia, #OpRussia, claimed all subdomains for Russia’s military webservers were offline hours earlier as of 11:00 UTC.

Over around 100+ subdomains for the russian military were hosted on this IP (you may check DNSdumpster for validation) now all downed. In Support of the people in Ukraine WE STAND BY YOU!

25 February 2022

CONTI’s decision to side with Russia has dire consequences for the RaaS Gang

The ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) gang CONTI (a.k.a. CONTI News) has officially sided with the Russian Federation against “Western warmongers” in the conflict.

Many of their affiliate partners are reportedly in disagreement – siding with Ukraine – which became evident once certain private chats were leaked on their internal affiliate platform on social media. It’s uncertain how these political divisions will impact the effectiveness of the ransomware gang’s campaigns. Conti revised their WARNING statement claiming they do “not ally with any government and we condemn the ongoing war.”

25 February 2022 – 16:30 UTC

Hundreds of Russian IP Addresses Appear on Deep Web for Targeting

Over 600 IP addresses correlating to key Russian web services emerge on transient paste sites and underground hacker forums. (Source DarkOwl Vision)

25 February 2022 – 05:00 UTC

Anonymous Threatens to Take Russian Industrial Control Systems Hostage

The hacker group known as Anonymous stepped up its participation in defending Ukrainians through its cyber war with Russia. In an ominous video posted to Twitter, the group called for UN to establish a “neutral security belt” between NATO and Russia to ease tensions. They elevated their influence by threatening to “take hostage industrial control systems” against Russia. Expect Us. We do not forgive. We do not forget.

“If tensions continue to worsen in Ukraine, then we can take hostage… industrial control systems.” Expect us. Operation #Russia Engaged

24 February 2022 – 19:00 UTC

Free Civilian Tor Service Announces 54 New Ukrainian Government Database Leaks

The administrator of the Free Civilian Tor Service – who DarkOwl analysts believe is the Raid Forums threat actor, Vaticano – updated their database leaks service, stating they had confidential data for dozens of Ukrainian government services. DarkOwl analyzed these databases closely and confirmed the threat actor likely exfiltrated the data in December 2021. (Source)

24 February 2022 – 17:00 UTC

Russia’s FSB Warns of Potential Attacks against Critical Infrastructure as a result of Ukraine Operations

The National Coordination Center for Computer Incidents (NCSCI) released an official statement warning citizens of Russia of imminent cyber attacks and for the country to brace for the disruption of important digital information resources and services in response to the on-going special military operation in Ukraine.

“Attacks can be aimed at disrupting the functioning of important information resources and services, causing reputational damage, including for political purposes” – NCSCI

24 February 2022 – 05:00 UTC

Cryptocurrency Markets Crash in Wake of Invasion

Bitcoin cryptocurrency fell below $35,000 USD for the first time since January in reaction to the Russian troops crossing over the Ukraine border. Ethereum fell more than 12% in the last 24 hours.

According to open-source reporting, the collective cryptocurrency market has plummeted over $150 billion dollars in value since the tensions began.

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[DEVELOPING] Darknet Economy Surges Around Abortion Rights

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on July 1, 2022. Posted in Blog.

SCOTUS members credit card information continues to be doxxed

July 1, 2022

The recent doxxing of Supreme Justices – presumably in retribution for the Roe v Wade rulings – has spread widely across social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and more.

While all members of the Supreme Court have been doxxed to some degree in the past, this latest round of public information sharing contains Credit Card information for at least four Justices.

Many posts circulating on the darknet, deep web, and paste sites include other associated PII (as pictured above), which together form a comprehensive doxx of the targeted Justices that could be exploited for social engineering attacks, fraud and more.

SIEGEDSEC Targets Pro-Life State Governments

27 June 2022

Over the weekend cyber hacktivists enraged about the SCOTUS decision, decided to direct their anger towards their keyboards and targeted the networks of pro-life state governments, e.g. Kentucky and Arkansas. The group claimed to have accessed and exfiltrated several gigabytes of sensitive data, including employee PII from state government servers. The cyber threat group, SiegedSec, who we featured earlier this month, has been recently emboldened by their involvement in the Russia-Ukraine cyber war and stated on their Telegram channel, the attacks against Kentucky and Arkansas are just the beginning with planned continued attacks against pro-life organizations and states with anti-abortion regulations.

“THE ATTACKS WILL CONTINUE!” – SiegedSec

Source: Telegram

SCOTUS Overturns Roe v. Wade

24 June 2022

On Friday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court uploaded their controversial decision on the case titled, DOBBS, STATE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ET AL. v. JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION ET AL; a decision which effectively removed one’s constitutional right to an abortion as provided by the long-standing 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent. The decision sparked widespread protests around the country and conflicts between activists and law enforcement.

Original Report

21 June 2022

As a result of the recent political landscape regarding Roe v. Wade, our analysts reviewed the topic of abortion and observed a surge in darknet economies providing abortion medications and home kits on underground marketplaces.

Background and Political Context

The historical January 1973 Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which legally protected one’s rights to an abortion at the Federal level, is on a precipitous demise in a radical shift in political power across the United States. In a draft majority opinion that was leaked out of the Supreme Court to Politico in early May, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court justices are very likely to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade and a subsequent 1992 decision — Planned Parenthood v. Casey, with Justice ALITO stating, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.”

Figure 1: Source POLITICO

If the position of the draft opinion goes ahead as written – which some legal experts predict might be officially published as early as this week – federal protections for one’s right to an abortion will immediately end and the issue will be tossed back for decision at the individual state level. With recent extreme state-legislative decisions such as the Texas Heartbeat Act criminalizing abortions any time after six weeks of pregnancy, 23 states have some form of restrictive abortion-related legislation in place. 19 states have protected the right to abortion by codifying it into their state laws, Colorado and California have established themselves as “sanctuary states” for women’s reproductive health.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, an abortion is defined as the early termination of a pregnancy and is induced by a clinical surgical procedure or the administration of drugs to remove the embryo and placenta from the female’s uterus. Two drugs associated with the “chemical abortion pill regimen” are oral Mifepristone (Mifeprex) and Misoprostol (Cytotec) used in conjunction to stop the production of pregnancy related hormones and induce contractions of the uterus to expel the embryo.

Impacts Seen on the Darknet

Within a week of the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion, DarkOwl analysts observed a noticeable volume of information related to medical abortions materialize – including offers for chemical abortion drugs for sale across the darknet.

Chatter on darknet discussion forums and deep-web adjacent chat platforms foster creating an online community to support US-based individuals’ access to abortion, calling it the “Underground Abortion Railroad” to help connect women with abortion and transportation providers and avoid criminal prosecution.

One forum user identified themselves from Europe and offered to stock up on abortion medications and emergency contraception pills such as “Plan B” from their local pharmacies, offering to ship them at fair market price to those in the United States who cannot access them legally through non-darknet sites.

Another user in a popular darknet forum mentioned a reliable marketplace selling Misoprostol, described as “28 Pills 200MG Safe Home Abortion Method.” The vendor of the marketplace commented on the thread that they don’t actually sell the pills anymore because there were not enough buyers, but would be willing to change their position and offer them again if there was demand.

Monitors on the darknet marketplace suggested has yet to offer a “Safe Home Abortion Method Kit” as mentioned in the thread or abortion-related pills on their site. The same vendor also offers a variety of illegal drugs and narcotics as well, including Cocaine, Percocet, Xanax, weight loss treatments, and Freebase.

Figure 2: Source Dread Darknet Discussion Forum

DarkOwl continues to observe other sources of underground abortion services on offer in its Vision database with multiple advertisements for Misoprostol and Mifeprex, and access to (purportedly) safe abortion services. One supplier recommended those in need of abortion pills contact them via XMPP with OMEMO for a direct, private sale.

Another classified-style advertisement describes the at-home abortion treatment in detail and the medications used, with pricing, ranging from $7 to $16 USD for the abortion-related medications. Multiple forms of contact information was also included.

Other drugs offered for sale on the same classified-advertisement forum have been affiliated with scammers that have no intention of providing the services or goods on offer. Tragically, there is increased risk that darknet scammers will exploit the current political abortion issue in the US for financial gain like they did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drugs offered for sale on darknet marketplaces

Figure 3: Source DarkOwl Vision

Some darknet forum users point readers to “offshore pharmacy sites” where abortion-related medication could be purchased, mentioning a clinic taking online consultations in India among others. A quick OSINT search revealed numerous Surface Web domains offering abortion-related medications for purchase. How those sites will operate regarding shipping the drugs to customers in states who have banned abortions once Roe is overturned is yet to be determined.

Overall, opinions on the darknet about abortion are mixed with strong opinions on both sides of the issue. Members of right-wing aligned Telegram channels spin abortion as murder and celebrate the Supreme Court’s position.

Figure 4: Source DarkOwl Vision

While other users support less government over individual choices regardless and view the decision as a potential turning point for the loss of other individual rights.

“I do believe everyone should have a choice, it’s a sensitive topic, but I will stand on democracy, taking peoples choices away is not democracy.” – Dread User

Figure 5: Source DarkOwl Vision

A controversial pro-choice group, Ruth Sent Us (RSU), named after late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recently admitted to publishing on social media the home addresses of Chief Justice John Roberts alongside five other conservative associate justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. The group claimed the information was publicly available and never encouraged violence against any of the justices.

The release of such information has fueled on-going deep web forum debates about the topic with some stating such information releases violates 18 USC 1503, which “prohibits ‘endeavors to influence, intimidate or impede… officers of [the] court’.” Despite the online debate, a 26-year old man, Nicholas John Roske, likely relied on such leaked information to target Justice Kavanaugh last week. Roske was arrested for attempted murder after arriving at Kavanuagh’s home with a Glock 17 handgun, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, and duct tape, that he told police he planned to use to break into Kavanaugh’s house and kill him. Other left-leaning U.S. politicians have also been targeted in their homes since the draft opinion leaks with users on Telegram calling them “pro-abortion death cult democrats.”

Figure 6: Source Telegram

DarkOwl analysts have not yet observed abortion pills such as Mifepristone and Misoprostol widely available on principal decentralized darknet markets, but they are available for purchase via threads in discussion forums, as well as classified-style advertisements on transient paste services.

Closing Thoughts

Users across darknet forums have voiced interest in abortion-related pills and services following the leaked Supreme Court documents and advocate for organized protests in support of and against the potential ruling. Once the U.S. Supreme Court officially issues their ruling, we anticipate a more concerted response from darknet marketplaces in offers for abortion related drugs and services. The darknet will also continue to be a resource for activists to organize political protests and circulate sensitive information related to the abortion debate.

Irrespective of which side of the debate one stands, the darknet will continue to fuel the controversy both in support of and criticism of a woman’s right to abortion. In a world of increased digital surveillance and the fundamental privacy-centric nature of Tor and similar anonymous platforms, individuals will seek out like-minded communities on the darknet for social activism related to the topic. DarkOwl predicts an increased use of Tor to organize political protests and circulate sensitive information related to the abortion debate.

Curious about darknet marketplaces or something you read? Interested in learning more? Contact us to find out how darknet data applies to your use case.

Shining a Light on the Good side of the Darknet: A Hidden Resource for Positive Change

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 24, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 24, 2025

We often associate the darknet with a negative stigma, primarily due to its frequent portrayal in the media for illicit activities and cybercrimes. However, much like the surface web, the darknet is a wide-open space that hosts a variety of resources – some of these resources are incredibly positive and life-changing. In this blog, our hope is to shine a light on the beneficial aspects of the darknet and explore the sites and services that make a positive impact on society.

Privacy Protection and Freedom of Speech

In an age where privacy is increasingly under threat, the darknet offers individuals a crucial safeguard for anonymity and freedom to express their thoughts without censorship. For people living under oppressive regimes where free speech is restricted or monitored, the darknet can be a haven.

One of the most well-known privacy-focused platforms in ProtonMail, an encrypted email service that allows users to communicate safely without the fear of surveillance. SecureDrop, is an open-source platform developed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation, allowing journalists to receive tips from whistleblowers and activists without exposing their identity. These services are critical tools in protecting privacy and supporting democracy and transparency.

Human Rights Advocacy and Whistleblower Protection

The darknet provides a critical space for those fighting for human rights. Websites like The Tor Project provide the infrastructure that allows individuals to browse the web anonymously, reducing the risks of being tracked or persecuted. Activists can use the darknet to share critical information about political oppression, corruption, and human rights abuses without fear of retaliation.

Whistleblower sites give individuals a platform to report government or corporate wrongdoings while protecting their identities. Whistleblowers help expose corruption and injustice on a global scale. Many journalists, including those at major news outlets such as The Guardian or The New York Times, rely heavily on these darknet platforms to connect with sources who need to remain anonymous for their own safety.

Education and Knowledge Sharing

Although controversial, the darknet is a hub for educational resources. Multiple darknet sites are dedicated to providing free knowledge in areas ranging from cybersecurity to history and politics. These platforms can be indispensable to individuals who want to learn but cannot afford traditional schooling or because of restrictions imposed by government censorship or other types of censorship.

Academia.edu is a darknet academic resources that provides access to papers, books, and research that may be blocked or restricted in certain countries. This availability to free education empowers individuals to improve their skills and access knowledge that may otherwise be out of reach

Charitable Organizations and Support Services

This might surprise some but there are many {legitimate} charitable organizations and support groups that operate on the darknet to assist those in need. For people in dangerous situations, whether they are refugees, victims of domestic violence, or living under oppressive regimes, the darknet offers a safe space to access vital resources.

The Hidden Wiki offers links to the support networks that provide guidance on escaping from abusive relationships, finding medical care, and accessing counseling services. These resources can be critical for people who cannot access help through traditional means due to the fear of being tracked or judged.

Privacy-Focused Marketplaces for Legal Goods

While the darknet is notorious for illegal activity, there are also legitimate marketplaces that focus on privacy and security. These marketplaces allow people to buy and sell goods while keeping personal information private. Some marketplaces provide privacy conscious alternatives for purchasing legal items, like books, software, or hardware.

The OpenBazzaar is a marketplace with a decentralized platform that allows users to trade goods and services directly with one another, using cryptocurrency for payments. OpenBazzaar was built on the principles of privacy, freedom, and distribution offering a safe and anonymous way to transact without the interference of third-party entities.

Crisis Communication and Emergency Support

In some cases, the darknet has served as a lifeline during times of crisis. For instance, during political unrest or natural disasters, the darknet has provided an outlet for individuals in need of urgent assistance or communication. Various groups have used the darknet to organize rescue operations or provide emergency services to people in need.

This is most often showcased in countries facing censorship or political turmoil, the darknet becomes a vital tool for maintaining open lines of communication. People can continue to organize protests, share information about the safety of family members and coordinate relief efforts.

Final Thoughts on the Darknet Being a Hidden Resource for Positive Change

While the darknet is often associated with its darker more malicious side, and rightly so, it’s important to recognize that there is a great deal of good happening below those layers of the surface. From protecting privacy and freedom of speech to supporting human rights and providing resources for those in need. The darknet offers much more than what is often portrayed in the media.

By highlighting these positive aspects, we can begin to bring awareness and understanding the true potential of the darknet as a force for good. It is a tool, and as with any tool, its value is deemed by those who wield it. When leveraged for privacy, security, and human rights, the darknet can provide vital services that improve the lives of individuals and strengthen society as a whole.

If you’re interested in exploring the darknet firsthand or discovering its positive aspects, it’s crucial to educate yourself on the best practices for navigating it safely. DarkOwl has compiled a list of six best practices for exploring the darknet which you can find here.

Curious to learn more? Chat with us!

Why We Need Big Data Analysis for the Dark Web

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 22, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 22, 2025

The modern intelligence analyst simply cannot cope with the wealth of data at their disposal.

The sheer volume of available intelligence is overwhelming. Nowhere is this need clearer than in open-source intelligence (OSINT), where the darknet plays a critical role.

As Randall Nixon, Director of the Open-Source Enterprise at the CIA, warned: “It’s amazing what’s there…the next intelligence failure could easily be an OSINT failure, because there’s so much out there.”

The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has designated OSINT the “INT of first resort.” Recent global conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Gaza, have underscored OSINT’s critical role in modern intelligence.

Darknet Data is Critical OSINT

Cybercriminal marketplaces, encrypted messengers, forums and hacker sites serve as hubs for illicit transactions, where drugs, weapons, extreme politics, stolen credentials, malware, and hacking services are openly traded. These platforms operate much like traditional e-commerce sites, complete with vendor ratings, escrow services, and customer reviews. As a non-exclusionary ecosystem, its potential is infinite.

Darknet Data Challenges

Darknet data is a goldmine of intelligence. Unlike structured enterprise datasets, darknet data is chaotic, multilingual, and riddled with deception, requiring robust machine learning techniques to extract meaningful insights.

Darknet data is inherently messy, containing slang, obfuscation techniques, and multilingual text. Let alone short-lived and transient sites and pages. Additionally, much of the data is stored in an unstructured format, making it difficult to apply Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs) effectively. Many darknet sites also introduce deliberate noise—web pages filled with random or misleading content—to further obscure information.

Legal and Ethical Risks

Since the darknet is designed for anonymity, traditional privacy regulations don’t always apply in the same way they do for regulated social media. However, the ethical implications of darknet surveillance must still be considered, especially when handling sensitive intelligence and personally identifiable information (PII).

Illegal Content

Darknet data often includes information related to illegal activities, which can pose significant challenges for generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). Many models have built-in safeguards that restrict processing such content, making off-the-shelf AI solutions less viable for darknet analysis. Additionally, the more specific the input data, the harder it is to bypass these restrictions. For example, extracting insights from a full dataset structure is generally easier than pulling highly specific details, such as product names, which may trigger model safety mechanisms.

The Possibilities of AI

The goal of intelligent systems should be to enhance human capabilities, enabling people to focus on higher-value, strategic decision-making, and creative tasks rather than routine processing.

As darknet activity continues to expand, advanced big data analytics and AI-driven methods will be essential to making sense of this vast, high-risk ecosystem.

Quantum Computing increases computational power so that week-long analysis will take minutes, with unprecedented levels of accuracy. Recent leaps in quantum computing will ensure the processing of Darknet data is considerably easier.

Human Behaviour Analysis in Anonymized Spaces

When no one is looking, how do people behave? The darknet provides a unique perspective on human behavior—a reflection of how individuals and groups act when they believe they are untraceable. Under the veil of assumed anonymity, forums and marketplaces reveal unfiltered reactions to the outside world. This creates an opportunity for social scientists, intelligence analysts, and behavioral researchers to study criminal psychology and radicalization patterns.

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are particularly effective for link prediction and clustering, helping identify connections that may not be obvious through traditional analysis for entity resolution.

Anomaly Detection and Trend Monitoring

Detecting anomalies in darknet activity is essential for identifying emerging threats. Analysts tracking illicit trades look for anomalous patterns in trade volume, pricing, and vendor behavior—indicators that may signal disruptions, law enforcement interventions, or the emergence of new criminal enterprises.

Predictive Analysis and Threat Forecasting

By analyzing historical data, organizations can predict the likelihood of future cyber threats, misinformation campaigns, and illicit trade patterns.

As Greg Ryckman, Deputy Director for Global Integration at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), stated: “We need a professional cadre that does open-source collection for a living, not amateur.”

With the integration of AI-powered predictive models, darknet data can be used to simulate complex scenarios, sanitise PII and help organizations prepare for emerging risks—whether that be the spread of disinformation, shifts in ransomware tactics, or geopolitical cyber threats.

DarkOwl’s Contribution

DarkOwl is exploring the use of LLMs to identify additional personally identifiable information (PII) entities. By refining these models to detect structured elements within highly unstructured text, we are developing tools that can track cybercriminal activity and detect fraud at scale.

Beyond entity extraction, we are also applying topic modeling techniques to classify and label darknet content. By using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and transformer-based models like BERT, we have successfully categorized subsets of forums, marketplaces, and chat data. We plan to expand on this work to create unique digital fingerprints of these spaces. This will allow us to track shifting trends, identify when threat actors migrate from one marketplace to another, and detect the resurgence of illicit communities following law enforcement takedowns.

We have successfully applied Generative AI models to pull structured product details from specific darknet marketplaces. We plan to expand this work to allow us to monitor illicit trade trends, track specific vendors, and assess market shifts over time. As our AI models continue to structure and analyze darknet data, we gain deeper visibility into longitudinal trends.

We are exploring AI-driven summarization, NER, clustering, and topic modeling to filter out irrelevant noise and surface high-priority leaks. By applying AI-powered triage mechanisms, we can determine which breaches pose the greatest risk to organizations.

Curious to learn more? Contact us.

Q1 2025: Product Updates and Highlights

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 17, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 17, 2025

Read on for highlights from DarkOwl’s Product Team for Q1 that kicked off a strong 2025, including new exciting product features.

Major Vision UI Updates

Teaming

DarkOwl Vision UI now supports team management by an organization administrator. The organization administrator can arrange users into teams and assign team owners. Teams can be assigned to work together on Cases, including all related alerts, saved searches, and search blocks. Users will see a new My Teams page within the Settings section, which will display their teams and assigned Cases.

Case Findings

The Cases feature was updated with a new section—Findings. Vision UI users can save important search results and alerts into their Cases as Findings, to research and dive into later. Findings capture the original result, and then provide annotation capabilities to create Snippets, add Notes, or organize by Criticality or Tag. The Note element increases collaboration opportunities with teammates.

Leak Visualizations

Leak Explore visualizations give clients more insight into the composition of each leak. Clients can now see a graphic of the top file extensions within each leak, with an option to view the full list of extensions. This feature is also available in our API.

Alert Timeline Visualization + Delete Alert Flow

A new visualization to view Alerts on a timeline is now available in both Case Alerts and Personal Alerts. This summarizes Alerts generated by criticality, over time.

Another client request was to make bulk actions more easily accessible and readily available. Now, when you start selecting Alerts, an “Actions” button will appear and give bulk options for creating Case Findings or deleting a subset of alerts.

Collection Stats

Highlights

Quarter after quarter, our data collection team continues to astonish us with the quantity of data made available across DarkOwl products.

The team had overall astounding growth of 44% in data leak records. To break it down, the tea, had 4% growth in email addresses, 12% growth in credit card numbers, 27% increase in total collected I2P documents, 10% growth in total collected paste documents, and another 12% growth in total collected records from Telegram – just to highlight a few.

Leaks of Interest Collected

When your search results are from data leaks, users can review additional information curated by DarkOwl analysts, giving you enrichment on the data leak. The descriptions below are all available in our Leak Explore UI feature, or Leak Context API endpoint.

TXTLOG Alien

A batch of infostealer logs, associated to the Alien TXTLOG Stealer Logs, was made freely available on TXT LOG ALIEN, a Telegram Channel, between March 4, 2025 and March 18, 2025. Data exposed includes rows of URL:LOGIN:PASSWORD combinations that may include websites, IP addresses, usernames, email addresses, plaintext passwords and various other sensitive information.

Oracle Cloud Sample

Data purported to be from Oracle Cloud servers was posted for sale on BreachForums, a hacking forum, on March 20, 2025. According to the post, Oracle’s traditional servers were hacked, exposing over 6 million user customer records. Data exfiltrated is reported to include usernames, names, company names, keys, locations, passwords, email addresses, countries, employee information, phone numbers and mobile numbers. A sample database was posted as proof of the claim.The threat actor alleged that data was stolen from Single Sign-On (SSO) and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) systems, including Java KeyStore (JKS) files, passwords, key files, and Enterprise Manager Java Policy Store (JPS) keys. The threat actor noted the SSO passwords are encrypted but sought support to decrypt the LDAP hashed passwords from the threat community. The threat actor revealed, via a file, around 140,000 domains of companies impacted and demanded payment to prevent the sale of employee information, noting the individual companies could contact him directly about removing their specific data prior to the sale. Further, the threat actor issued a 72-hour ultimatum for Oracle to respond via official company channels.

Zacks.com

Data purported to be from Zacks was posted on BreachForums, a hacking forum, on January 24, 2025. According to the post, in June 2024 Zach Investment Research experienced a data breach exposing their source code and their databases containing 15 million lines of customer and client data. Data exposed includes user identification (UID), company names, names, email addresses, phone numbers, usernames, passwords, and physical addresses.

Ticketmaster

Data purported to be from TicketMaster was posted on LeakBase, a hacking forum, on July 9, 2024. According to the post, the breach is from 2024, contains 55 million rows and was was formatted by threat actor TimeBit. Data exposed includes customer IDs, IP addresses, purchase details, full names, genders, dates of birth, language, physical addresses, email addresses, and partial credit card numbers.

bankofamerica.com

Data purported to be from Bank of America was posted on BreachForums, a hacking forum, on December 2, 2024. According to the post, the leak is from May 31, 2023 and is attributed to the Ransomware group Cl0p and the MOVEit vulnerability. Data exposed includes account information, names, company names, usernames, expiration dates, dates of birth, bank account numbers, financial data, phone numbers, physical addresses, email addresses, vendor information, and IP addresses.

Curious how these features and data can make your job easier? Get in touch!

Telegram’s Trust & Safety Paradox: How Telegram’s New Measures Complicate Threat Actor Investigations

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 15, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 15, 2025

Telegram, once the Wild West of chat applications, has undergone significant changes. This shift came after its CEO and founder faced legal troubles with French authorities. (We recently covered this situation in another blog, if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend checking it out. Good Read Ahead)

In short, Telegram is now implementing new trust and safety measures aimed at making the platform safer for users and curbing cybercrime. These efforts include banning and shutting down cybercrime-related channels, as well as making it harder to find them when they do operate.

At first glance, this sounds like a huge win, something worth celebrating. We should be cheering, maybe even organizing a parade in honor of these developments.

However, before we start throwing confetti, there’s a significant problem: these cybercriminal channels are still operating—they’re just harder for investigators to track and monitor.

Locks only keep honest people honest… or, in this case, anything good on the internet can also be used for bad.

A Frustrating Reality for Investigators

This isn’t meant to be a criticism of Telegram (though it might sound like one), but rather an expression of investigator frustration. I fully support Telegram’s efforts to prevent illicit activities on its platform. It’s an uphill battle, especially considering how much easier it was for threat actors to operate on Telegram compared to traditional dark web sites.

Previously, Telegram had key advantages for cybercriminals:
👍Ease of access – Unlike dark web forums that require special browsers, Telegram is readily available.
👍Simple search functionality – No need to memorize or hunt for links; just use the search bar.
👍 A wider customer base – More users meant more potential buyers for illicit services.

For investigators, this also made Telegram a gold mine of intelligence; until now.

The Growing Challenges of Threat Intelligence on Telegram

The issue isn’t just that threat actors aren’t getting the hint to leave Telegram. It’s that the new safety measures make investigating them exponentially more difficult.

Frequent bans, frequent reappearances – Some channels are getting shut down weekly, if not daily, only to resurface under new names.

Time-consuming investigations – Investigators now have to spend considerable time tracking a single channel and its possible reincarnations.

Obscured search results – Telegram has adjusted its search algorithm, making it harder to locate certain channels, even when using exact keywords.

Gone Are the Days of Easy Telegram Monitoring

Take the following example:

A cybercriminal channel was banned and then quickly reopened. You’d assume it would be easy to find again, but if you search for a keyword from the screenshot, like “txtlog”, the new version of the channel won’t appear in the results.

For threat intelligence teams, this is a nightmare. Valuable intelligence is still out there, but now there’s a significant delay before someone manages to find it. This lag time creates a window of opportunity for cybercriminals to regroup and continue their activities unchecked.

Final Thoughts: A Step in the Right Direction, but Challenges Remain

To conclude this rant, I want to acknowledge that Telegram’s efforts are commendable. Their actions prove that they are taking a stronger stance against cybercrime on their platform.

As someone with experience in social media trust and safety, I understand the immense challenge of moderating a platform at this scale. But the fight isn’t over. The real goal should be deterring threat actors from returning at all, rather than just making it harder to find them.

Hopefully, with continued improvements, Telegram can reach a point where cybercriminals realize it’s no longer a viable option—and investigators don’t have to spend all their time chasing shadows.

Stay up to date with the latest from DarkOwl analysts. Follow us on LinkedIn.

Darknet Threats Targeting Semiconductor Companies

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 10, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 10, 2025

The semiconductor industry powers everything from computing and artificial intelligence to defense systems and the Internet of Things. Given its strategic importance, it has become a prime target for cybercriminals, nation-state actors, and ransomware groups—many of whom operate across the darknet.

On these hidden networks, adversaries trade stolen intellectual property, zero-day exploits, and even sell access to compromised enterprise environments. This blog explores how these darknet-enabled attacks unfold.

Why Semiconductor Companies Are Prime Targets

Semiconductor companies, design, manufacture and sell semiconductors which are essential to modern electronics. Semiconductors are materials, typically silicon, that have electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator. They power everything from smartphones and laptops to cars and medical equipment. Due to their importance these companies are targeted for a range of reasons and in a range of ways.

Due to their use of advanced chip designs and fabrication techniques, which are worth millions, they are often targeted by advanced persistent threat (APT) groups in order to steal intellectual property. Governments seek to control semiconductor advancements for technological and military superiority, leading to targeted cyberespionage campaigns.

Due to the components that are required the companies often rely on a complex global supply chain made up on many different companies and providers. This leaves them open to vulnerabilities from cyber threat actors which could lead to compromise. The SolarWinds and Kaseya attacks, where third-party vulnerabilities led to board compromises.

Given the high cost of production downtime, attackers often use ransomware and wiper malware to extort payments or cripple manufacturing facilities. This can be in an attempt to crimple critical infrastructure or simply to extort companies worth millions of cash.

How Semiconductor Firms Are Targeted on the Darknet

Threat actors can use multiple tactics to infiltrate semiconductor companies and their supply chains. Some of their activities take place on the dark web.

Darknet Markets for Stolen Data & Initial Access

Darknet forums such as RAMP, Genesis Market (before takedown), and BreachForums can offer compromised credentials, session tokens, and MFA bypass methods for employees in the semiconductor sector. Threat actors will offer these credentials for sale to the highest bidders. They are often known as Initial Access Brokers. (IAB)

Initial access brokers (IABs) often sell pre-compromised RDP, VPN, and Citrix credentials, allowing ransomware groups to gain footholds in corporate networks.

Ransomware Attacks on Semiconductor Manufacturers

Semiconductor companies are not immune to ransomware attacks, as few organizations are these days. In fact they may appear as enticing targets due to the worth of the organizations and the technology that they deal in. As with any other ransomware attack, information relating to the organization is exfiltrated, which can include a range of document types, in this case including sensitive semiconductor designs and threaten to leak them unless a ransom is paid. Ransomware Groups such as LockBit, BlackCat (ALPHV), and RansomEXX have been observed targeting semiconductor firms.

Zero-Day Exploits and Vulnerability Markets

A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw in software or hardware that is to the technology owner and therefore has no patch or fix available at the time it’s discovered. Zero-day vulnerabilities in ICS/SCADA, firmware, and chip toolchains can be sold on the darknet and in private Telegram channels. This is very rare and these types of vulnerabilities are worth a huge amount of money, especially when targeting critical infrastructure.

However firmware vulnerabilities in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, particularly ASML lithography systems and ARM-based architectures, are known to have been exploited in targeted attacks.

Supply Chain Infiltration and Hardware-Level Attacks

Threat researchers have identified instances where adversaries embed malicious firmware in chips before deployment. This has been a major concern for critical infrastructure sectors who could be relying on compromised semiconductor components. Attackers have also been known to compromise EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools and semiconductor manufacturing software, injecting backdoors into fabricated chips.

Darknet Recruiting and Credential Stealing

Darknet forums have been observed offering payment in cryptocurrency for insider access or data leaks within semiconductor firms. Data leak and infostealer malware like RedLine, StealC, Raccoon, etc are widely used to harvest credentials that are resold and can be used for supply chain targeting or to target employees of semiconductor companies themselves.

Real-World Attacks on Semiconductor Companies

Several semiconductor firms have suffered high-profile cyberattacks in recent years, reinforcing the urgency of darknet threat monitoring.

NVIDIA Breach (2022) – Lapsus$ Group
- Stolen proprietary GPU designs and employee credentials.
- Attackers leaked code-signing certificates, enabling malicious driver development.

TSMC Supply Chain Ransomware Attack (2023)
- A third-party supplier was compromised by LockBit ransomware, exposing sensitive business data.
- Attackers demanded a $70M ransom.

Intel & AMD Firmware Leaks
- Engineering documentation and firmware signing keys leaked on underground forums.
- Exploited for BIOS and firmware-level rootkit attacks.

Strategies to Mitigate Darknet Threats

Semiconductor companies need proactive cybersecurity measures to mitigate darknet-driven threats. These companies and their partners should monitor the darknet to track mentions of company assets, stolen credentials, and exploit chatter. They should also actively monitor initial access brokers, ransomware leak sites, and private forums for early indicators of compromise. DarkOwl data can assist in conducting this monitoring and alerting on identified threats.

Conclusion

As semiconductor firms continue to drive technological progress, they will remain top-tier targets for darknet cybercriminals and state-sponsored attackers. A multi-layered security approach, incorporating darknet monitoring, access control, supply chain security, and proactive threat hunting, is crucial to mitigate evolving cyber threats.

By understanding how attackers operate on the darknet, semiconductor companies can stay ahead of threats, safeguard intellectual property, and ensure business continuity in an increasingly hostile cyber landscape.

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Halo Security Partners with DarkOwl to Bring Better Visibility to Cybersecurity Teams

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 7, 2025. Posted in Press Releases.

DarkOwl, a leading provider of darknet data and intelligence, and Halo Security, a leading attack surface management platform, today announced a strategic partnership. This collaboration will empower Halo Security’s customers with enhanced visibility into the dark web, providing critical insights into potential threats and vulnerabilities that their customers could face.

Through this partnership, Halo Security will integrate DarkOwl’s dark web monitoring and intelligence capabilities into its platform. By leveraging DarkOwl’s industry-leading darknet intelligence platform, organizations can gain unparalleled visibility into malicious activities occurring on the deep, dark, high-risk webs as well as on darknet adjacent sites. This will enable cybersecurity teams to identify exposed assets, leaked credentials, and other high-risk data circulating in dark web forums, marketplaces, and communication channels — all in one place.

“At Halo Security, we’ve always approached cybersecurity from an attacker’s perspective,”saidLisa Dowling, CEO at TrustedSite. “Our partnership with DarkOwl extends this approach by bringing visibility into areas where attackers congregate, plan, and share information. We’re excited to offer our customers this critical intelligence within a single, actionable platform.”

Mark Turnage, CEO and Co-Founder at DarkOwl echoed this excitement, “We’re thrilled to partner with Halo Security to provide dark web intelligence directly within their attack surface management platform. The combination of Halo Security’s proactive approach and our deep dark web insights will give cybersecurity teams the edge they need to identify and neutralize threats faster than ever.”

The integration will provide real-time alerts and detailed threat analysis, helping organizations to proactively mitigate risks and strengthen their overall security posture. With this enhanced capability, Halo Security users will have access to valuable insights, such as compromised credentials, insider threats, and emerging attack tactics, all sourced directly from the dark web.

Meet Halo Security and DarkOwl at RSA

Halo Security will be at DarkOwl’s booth at RSA on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025, from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM at Booth #4604. Visitors can experience a live demo and learn more about how this partnership will enhance their cybersecurity operations.

About Halo Security
Halo Security is a comprehensive attack surface management platform that provides asset discovery, risk assessment, and penetration testing within a single, easy-to-use interface. Founded by cybersecurity experts with experience at McAfee, Intel, Kenna Security, OneLogin, and WhiteHat Security, Halo Security offers a unique, attacker-based approach to protecting modern organizations. Learn more at halosecurity.com.

About DarkOwl
DarkOwl is the industry’s leading provider of darknet data. We offer the world’s largest commercially available database of information collected from the darknet. Using machine learning and human analysts, we automatically, continuously, and anonymously collect and index darknet, deep web, and high-risk surface net data. Our platform collects and stores data in near real-time, allowing darknet sites that frequently change location and availability to be queried in a safe and secure manner without having to access the darknet itself. Customers are able to turn this data into a powerful tool to identify risk at scale and drive better decision making. For more information, contact DarkOwl.

The Online Ecosystem of January 6 Supporters

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 3, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 03, 2025

On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol in an effort to prevent the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. In the lead up to Congress’ joint session, President Trump repeatedly made unfounded claims of voter fraud and, in a January 6 speech, encouraged his supporters to march towards the Capitol building and to “fight like hell.” Shortly thereafter, a crowd wielding flags and weapons gathered at the Capitol, quickly outnumbering police and starting a riot. Protesters forced their way into the Capitol building, breaking through doors and windows, and began to search for members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence. As the riot continued, President Trump criticized Vice President Pence for presiding over the certification of the election; rioters were heard chanting “hang Mike Pence.”

While the violent mob’s efforts to undermine the election certification were ultimately unsuccessful, approximately 140 law enforcement officers were injured in the attack and five people died during and soon after the riot. Following the attack, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched the “largest criminal investigation in U.S. history” looking into the siege, which it identified as an act of domestic terrorism. As noted by NPR—which tracked all federal criminal cases pertaining to the attack—the FBI estimates that “around 2,000 people took part in criminal acts on Jan. 6.” In total, 1,575 individuals were charged. Among these were individuals with ties to far-right domestic extremist groups, including the Three Percenters, Proud Boys, and Oath Keepers.

On January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump issued “complete and unconditional pardon to all […] individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.” The order specifically named nine members of the Oath Keepers and five members of the Proud Boys—among them, Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers who was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Since the pardoning, the previously publicly available dataset detailing convictions of January 6 rioters has been removed from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) website. A complete database detailing all January 6 criminal cases remains available on NPR’s website.

Since the January 20 pardoning, DarkOwl has observed violent rhetoric and conspiracy theories circulating within January 6-affiliated online groups (including those linked to the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers). This blog will explore the frequency and type of rhetoric observed on the surface, deep, and dark web as it pertains to the pardoning of the January 6 defendants.

J6 Community’s Online Ecosystem

Analysts have observed an extensive online community consisting of individuals indicted and/or sentenced for the January 6 (J6) attack, their family, and J6 apologists. Dozens of Telegram channels are dedicated to sharing J6-related news and updates, including information about releases and the few who remain in prison. The J6 Telegram landscape also consists of channels belonging to J6 defendants who have been released and are now sharing their stories, spreading mis- and disinformation, and corralling support for the few January 6 defendants who have not yet been released. Many of these individuals have also been observed calling for retribution through investigations into, and prosecutions of, the “criminals walking free who did this.” While many J6-related Telegram channels have dozens or hundreds of followers, others have as many as 10,000, reflecting the scale of the community and the extent of its reach.

Additional activity has also been identified on surface web-level video-sharing social media platforms, particularly Rumble, which remains especially popular among right-wing creators and is often referred to as “right-wing YouTube.” Some channels on Rumble are exclusively dedicated to J6 news; however, prominent content creators—some with nearly 200,000 followers—are also providing J6 defendants with a platform. Multiple J6 defendants—among them, Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers—have been invited to popular Rumble channels as special guests since their pardoning, where they actively shared mis- and disinformation and claim that the FBI “manufactured narratives” regarding the January 6 attack. Henry “Enrique” Tarrio—former head of the Proud Boys—was also interviewed by Sean Spicer on his YouTube channel, where similar misinformation was shared. Both Rhodes and Tarrio had been convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in the January 6 attack.

Similar activity has been observed on other surface web social media platforms, most notably Twitter. In posts observed following the pardoning of the January 6 defendants, pro-J6 Twitter posts frequently received even more views than those on Telegram. The reach of these posts is consistent with the increase in harmful and extremist content seen on the platform since it was acquired by Elon Musk in 2022. Some Telegram channels made by and tailored to J6 defendants were also found to have matching accounts on Twitter.

Rhetoric Observed Post-J6 Pardons

Following the Trump Administration’s pardoning of those indicted for the January 6 attack, analysts observed a wide variety of rhetoric, including continued efforts by J6 supporters to release the remaining prisoners, extensive conspiratorial rhetoric, calls for retribution, and—in some cases—calls for violence against the federal employees who investigated the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Notably, J6 participants and supporters on the surface, deep, and dark web—from Telegram to Twitter—are coming together to call for the release of the few remaining rioters who are in prison. Emboldened by the administration’s pardons, numerous Telegram channels and Twitter accounts appear to be intensifying efforts to release the remaining J6 defendants. Many channels and accounts make nearly daily posts encouraging supporters to call President Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other officials within the Trump Administration to request the release of the J6 “hostages.” Several of these accounts are administrated by recently pardoned J6 defendants who, in addition to calling for the release of all J6 defendants, are also encouraging those who have been pardoned to share “testimonial videos” to “expose the truth.”

Conspiracy theories are at the heart of many of these discussions being held in J6 communities on the surface, deep, and dark web. The overarching, unfounded conspiracy theory observed across multiple platforms is the belief that the January 6 attack was orchestrated by the U.S. government. J6 supporters have been observed referring to the attack as the “J6 Fed-surrection,” and have shared conspiratorial articles claiming that FBI agents participated in the insurrection. One of the posts sharing this unfounded claim on Twitter gained 170,000 views, reflecting how this type of misinformation is gaining traction and becoming a part of the dominant discourse.

These conspiracy theories have further fueled J6 campaigns for retribution, as notably observed in a January 30, 2025 Telegram post calling for the creation of a “J6 Taskforce” intended to “document the abuses of power and overreach demonstrated by the justice department, DC jail, DC courts, and Bureau of Prisons.” The post discussed a letter sent to President Trump to request such a taskforce, which would specifically be composed of “J6ers, J6 family members and advocates.” Indeed, DarkOwl has observed a pattern of J6 supporters interested in participating in the administration of “justice” against those who they believe have wronged them. Immediately following their release, both Stewart Rhodes and Enrique Tarrio vowed retribution and called for the prosecution and imprisonment of those who investigated the January 6 attack or testified against them.

The majority of the rhetoric observed by DarkOwl in J6-affiliated Telegram channels since the pardons has not been violent in nature. This is not to say, however, that there has been a total absence of concerning or violent rhetoric. In response to articles about the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, DarkOwl saw Telegram users calling for acts of violence against those who participated in the committee. One user suggested “send Luigi [Mangione] to [their] homes,” while another added: “could always just have them ‘commit suicide.’”

Significantly, there appears to be even more violent rhetoric directed at the J6 Committee on Twitter than on Telegram. In response to a tweet sharing an article about unfounded claims that the FBI participated in the January 6 attack, numerous individuals called for violence against the mentioned FBI officials. Users in the comment section mentioned firing squads and hangings, with one individual making an indirect threat by encouraging “traitors and liars” to “RUN!!” DarkOwl also located instances of similar rhetoric on Rumble, where users insisted on prison or the death penalty for “the entire J6 committee, Schiffs of the World, Fauci’s, Bill Gates, etc.” This language is consistent with the type of rhetoric that has been observed since the results of the 2024 presidential election, with individuals specifically calling for violence against former members of the Biden Administration.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the network of J6 participants and supporters online—both on the surface and dark web—remains extensive and robust. It is a community characterized by the active propagation of conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation. Perhaps more importantly, however, it is a collective of individuals bound by anger and a desire for retribution, as is evidenced by repeated calls for vengeance, whether through prison sentences or executions.

Research across these J6-related online spaces—whether on Telegram, Twitter, Rumble, or others—reveals an overarching sentiment: the veneration of those convicted for participating in the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. The defendants are portrayed as heroes—a misrepresentation that is only further bolstered by the administration’s pardons and President Trump’s description of the rioters as “patriots.” Based on the rhetoric seen across numerous platforms, the J6 community’s goals appear clear: release the remaining prisoners and push for the persecution of members of the J6 Committee. Whether or not—and how—the group is able to achieve the latter, however, remains unclear.

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April Fools’ Special: I Spent 24 Hours on the Dark Web, and Here’s What Happened

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 1, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 01, 2025

Happy April Fools’ Day, friends! Instead of the usual prank-filled antics, I decided to take my curiosity to the next level. Last night, armed only with coffee, bravery, and an excessive number of browser tabs open, I ventured deep into the legendary—and mysterious—dark web.

Spoiler Alert: I survived…barely!

Hour 1: Preparation and Anticipation

To access the dark web, you need something called the Tor browser, which claims to protect your identity online. I downloaded it, feeling like a hacker from an ’80s cyber-thriller movie. For added protection, I wore sunglasses indoors (obviously) and put my browser window in Incognito mode (because double anonymity cancels out, right?).

Hour 3: Lost in the Rabbit Hole

I quickly discovered something unexpected. Rather than finding shady websites selling counterfeit unicorn tears or alien secrets, I stumbled into endless forums discussing whether pineapple belonged on pizza. Seriously? This is the stuff they hide from Google? It turns out the real conspiracy here might be pizza toppings!

Hour 6: Finally, The Dark Side

Navigating deeper, I found some genuinely bizarre markets offering everything from invisibility cloaks (sadly, “out of stock”) to jars labeled “authentic air from Area 51.” I placed an order immediately, naturally, paying in cryptocurrency—specifically something called “FoolCoin,” which suspiciously crashed right after my purchase.

Hour 12: I’m Being Watched

Paranoia began creeping in as I visited a chatroom where users communicated exclusively in cat emojis. I attempted to blend in, carefully selecting 🐱🐱🐾🐾, which was apparently a deeply offensive phrase. I was promptly banned.

Hour 18: Surprising Discoveries

Contrary to my expectations of black market dealings and illicit hacking tips, the deepest corners of the dark web were mainly populated by lonely people sharing their poetry about existential dread and asking for dating advice.

Also, there was a surprising lack of actual darkness—most sites had a retro neon vibe. (The 1990s want their animated GIFs back.)

Hour 23: Reality Check

Suddenly, a chat message popped up on my screen:

“We’ve been expecting you.”

My heart raced. This was it, my dark web initiation—or my undoing. Before panic set in, another message followed:

“Just kidding! April Fools’! Want to buy more FoolCoin?”

I’d been played. And it was glorious.

Hour 24: Reflection

As my dark web adventure concluded, it struck me that perhaps the greatest mystery isn’t what’s lurking in these hidden corners of the internet. Maybe it’s why we’re so fascinated by them in the first place.

Or maybe it’s still the pineapple-on-pizza debate. Honestly, it’s probably that.

Disclaimer: This post was entirely fictional—no actual dark-web diving took place. Or did it? 😉

Happy April Fools’ Day!

(Seriously, though…) Stay Cyber Safe!

Jokes aside, the Dark Web poses real security risks. Here’s your actual cybersecurity advice to take away today:

Be wary of unsolicited emails and unfamiliar links.

Use two-factor authentication (2FA) to keep accounts secure.

Regularly update your passwords and avoid reusing them.

Stay informed, stay vigilant, and when in doubt, trust no one, except maybe your trusted cybersecurity friend.

Happy April Fools’ Day from DarkOwl. Remember, cybersecurity doesn’t have to be scary, even if the Dark Web sometimes is.

Stay safe, and may your passwords be as mysterious as today’s blog!

Written by AI. Happy April Fools!

Threat Intelligence RoundUp: March

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on April 1, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 01, 2025

Our analyst team shares a few articles each week in our email newsletter which goes every Thursday. Make sure to register! This blog highlights those articles in order of what was the most popular in our newsletter – what our readers found the most intriguing. Stay tuned for a recap every month. We hope sharing these resources and news articles emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity and sheds light on the latest in threat intelligence.

1. This Data Could Destroy The FBI—Russian Crime Gang Warns Kash Patel – Forbes

In a February 25 post on their dark web leak site, the Russian ransomware gang LockBit claimed to have stolen data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The post directly addresses new FBI Director Kash Patel and claims that the ransomware gang has “an archive of classified information” that would “negatively affect the reputation of the FBI [and] destroy it as a structure.” The message prompts FBI Director Patel to contact LockBit personally in order to gain access to the password-protected file included in the post. Read full article.

2. Police arrests 300 suspects linked to African cybercrime rings – Bleeping Computer

In a March 24 press release, INTERPOL announced the arrest of 306 suspects and the seizure of 1,842 devices as part of the INTERPOL-led operation “Red Card,” which aims to “disrupt and dismantle cross-border criminal networks.” The arrests were carried out in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia. Operation Red Card, which took place between November 2024 and February 2025, specifically targeted “mobile banking, investment, and messaging app scams,” which involved more than 5,000 victims. Article here.

3. X hit by ‘massive cyberattack’ amid Dark Storm’s DDoS claims – Bleeping Computer

On March 10, X (formerly known as Twitter) suffered multiple worldwide outages. The hacktivist group Dark Storm has claimed responsibility for the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks which caused the outages. Specifically, the group made posts on their Telegram channel the same day the attacks took place and shared screenshots from check-host.net as proof of the attack. Tens of thousands of users were impacted by the outages. Read more here.

4. Ukrainian military targeted in new Signal spear-phishing attacks
– Bleeping Computer

In a March 18 bulletin, Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) warned of numerous cases of targeted cyberattacks against employees within Ukraine’s defense industry and members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). According to the report, in March 2025 threat actors were observed using compromised Signal accounts to distribute malware. The phishing messages contained a PDF and an executable file classified as the DarkTortilla cryptor, “which, when launched, decrypts and executes the remote access trojan Dark Crystal RAT (DCRAT). Read here.

5. Police arrests suspects tied to AI-generated CSAM distribution ring – Bleeping Computer

In a February 28 press release, Europol announced the arrest of 25 suspects who were part of a criminal group “engaged in the distribution of images of minors fully generated by artificial intelligence.” The global operation—dubbed “Operation Cumberland”—was led by Danish law enforcement and involved authorities from 19 countries. In addition to the 25 arrested suspects, the operation also identified 273 suspects, conducted 33 house searches, and seized 173 electronic devices. Learn more.

6. Cyberattack takes down Ukrainian state railway’s online services – Bleeping Computer

On Sunday, March 23, Ukraine’s national railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia was targeted in a “systematic, complex, and multi-level” cyber-attack. The attack disrupted the company’s online services, preventing users from purchasing tickets. Railway operations themselves were not impacted by the intrusion, however the hit to online systems resulted in long waiting times, delays, and overcrowding. Read full article.

7. Vo1d Botnet’s Peak Surpasses 1.59M Infected Android TVs, Spanning 226 Countries – The Hacker News

According to researchers at Xlab, nearly 1.6 million Android TV devices have been infected with a new and improved variant of the Vo1d malware botnet. 226 countries have been targeted in the campaign, with Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia accounting for the largest number of infections (24.97%, 13.6%, and 10.54% respectively). Xlab has been tracking the campaign since November, 2024, and has reported that the botnet peaked on January 14, 2025. The new variant currently encompasses 800,000 daily active IP addresses. Read full article.

8. BADBOX 2.0 Botnet Infects 1 Million Android Devices for Ad Fraud and Proxy Abuse – The Hacker News

Over 1 million devices have been impacted in a fraud operation dubbed “BADBOX 2.0,” an expansion of the previous BADBOX operation discovered in 2023. As noted in the Satori Threat Intelligence report, “BADBOX 2.0 is the largest botnet of infected connected TV (CTV) devices ever uncovered.” Satori researchers assess that it is likely that the same threat actors are behind both operations. Four different threat actor groups have been identified: SalesTracker Group, MoYu Group, Lemon Group, and LongTV. Learn more.

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Vacation Time!!! How to Get the Best Rates!

Written by DarkOwl Content Team on March 27, 2025. Posted in Blog.

March 27, 2025

It’s that time of year—time to start planning your next vacation. The big question is: where do you start searching for the best deals? With so many options and countless advertisements, should you just go straight to the hotel chain’s website?

What if I told you that the dark web might offer the biggest savings, if you can navigate its hidden marketplaces, chat groups, and cryptocurrency payments?

Obviously, this is satire, as using such methods could be illegal or violate a company’s terms of service, potentially leading to the loss of your booking or criminal charges.

Cheap Bookings

The dark web hosts numerous vendors claiming to offer deeply discounted travel bookings, sometimes as much as 80% off standard prices. These listings cover everything from airline tickets and hotel stays to car rentals and vacation packages.

While these deals may sound tempting, they often come with serious risks.

How Are These Discounts Possible?

Dark web travel deals typically result from fraud, hacking, or insider manipulation. Common methods include:

Carded Bookings: Reservations made using stolen credit card details, which are often flagged and canceled before the traveler can use them.

Hacked Travel Accounts: Fraudsters gain access to compromised airline, hotel, or car rental accounts, using stored points or payment methods to book travel.

Insider Access: Some sellers claim to have contacts within travel companies who manipulate reservations for a fee.

Fake or Resold Reservations: Some listings involve legitimate bookings resold at a discount, but travelers risk cancellations if the original buyer disputes the charge.

While these cheap travel deals may seem like an easy way to save money, most buyers end up losing more than they gain, whether through last-minute cancellations, financial losses, or legal consequences.

Travel Site Carding

Carding refers to the use of stolen credit card information to make unauthorized purchases. This is one of the primary ways criminals secure cheap travel bookings on the dark web.

Fraudsters exploit compromised payment details to book flights, hotels, and car rentals at a fraction of the normal price—often reselling these bookings to unsuspecting buyers.

How Travel Site Carding Works

At the core of travel site carding is stolen credit card data, which fuels an underground economy of fraudulent bookings. Hackers and cybercriminals obtain this information in various ways, large-scale data breaches, phishing scams, malware attacks, or even by purchasing stolen details on dark web marketplaces. Once obtained, these compromised credit card details are sold in bulk, often for as little as $10 to $50 per card, depending on the card’s available balance and spending limits.

Armed with stolen card details, fraudsters quickly move to make high-value travel bookings, flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages, before the actual cardholder notices the unauthorized transactions. Since most credit card companies have fraud protection systems in place, criminals often prefer last-minute bookings, reducing the window of time for detection. These fraudulent transactions are usually done through compromised accounts or newly created profiles, making it harder for travel companies to link the bookings to the real perpetrators.

The travel industry has become a prime target for carding because, unlike traditional e-commerce purchases that require shipping addresses, travel services involve digital confirmations, making them easier to exploit. Criminals take advantage of instant booking confirmations to quickly secure flights or hotel rooms, often completing their travels before the fraud is even detected.

Refund Scams

So, you booked a trip but still want a discount? What if you could get a full refund, even after enjoying your stay?

One of the more brazen scams discussed on dark web forums involves fraudulent refund claims. Scammers manipulate hotel policies to get their money back, sometimes using extreme methods including one case where a scammer suggested urinating on the hotel bed to fabricate evidence.

The Art of the Travel Refund Scam

For some, getting a hotel refund isn’t about dissatisfaction, it’s about manipulation. Scammers exploit refund policies using deceptive tactics, sometimes going to extreme lengths to fabricate complaints.

One common method involves faking unsanitary conditions. A scammer might scatter staged evidence like soiled bedding, stains, or even dead insects they brought along. With shocking photos in hand, they demand a refund for an “unacceptable” room.

Others take a more destructive approach, intentionally damaging amenities like TVs or air conditioning units and then claiming the room was already in poor condition. Acting frustrated, they pressure hotels into offering refunds or discounts.

Some fraudsters rely on fake medical complaints, claiming allergic reactions to mold or illness from “toxic” cleaning chemicals. By threatening negative reviews or legal action, they push hotel staff into issuing refunds.

While these scams don’t always work, some travelers see them as an easy way to score a free stay. Unfortunately, this leads to stricter refund policies and higher prices for honest guests.

While booking sites don’t always favor the consumer, having “evidence” and being persistent can increase the chances of getting money back. This shows the extreme lengths some scammers go to in order to save money on their travels—even resorting to urinating on a bed for photographic proof.

Risks of Using Dark Web Travel Bookings

While the promise of cheap travel is tempting, there are major downsides:

Cancellations & Denied Check-ins: If fraud is detected, hotels and airlines cancel bookings without notice.

Legal Consequences: Purchasing knowingly fraudulent services can lead to criminal charges.

Loss of Money: Many dark web vendors scam buyers, taking payments without delivering valid reservations.

Exposure to Cybercrime: Engaging with dark web marketplaces increases the risk of malware, scams, and data theft.

Final Thoughts

While cheap travel deals on the dark web may sound like a way to save money, they come with significant risks. In most cases, travelers end up losing more than they gain, whether through canceled trips, lost money, or even legal trouble.

Instead of turning to illegal or high-risk methods, savvy travelers should look for legitimate discounts, reward programs, and last-minute booking strategies.

This also highlights the importance of the hospitality industry monitoring dark web intelligence. These scams ultimately lead to increased prices for honest travelers.

Remember: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.