What is Darkode

Popularly known as a one-stop, high-volume shopping destination for some of the most active cybercriminals worldwide. This underground, password-protected online forum, known as Darkode, served as a marketplace for people looking to purchase, sell, and trade malware, botnets, credit card information, personally identifiable information, hacked server credentials, and other software and data that enabled sophisticated cybercrimes worldwide.

How FBI gets into this

In the year 2007, the operators of this English-speaking, invitation-only criminal forum were unaware that the FBI had gotten inside at the highest levels of this communication platform and was gathering intelligence and evidence on Darkode members.

At present

1. The FBI and the Department of Justice revealed the findings of Operation Shrouded Horizon, a multi-agency investigation into the Darkode forum, with the help of our allies in 19 other nations.
2. Charges, arrests, and searches involving 70 Darkode members and associates worldwide were among the outcomes.
3. Moreover, 12 Forum members, including its administrator, were indicted in the United States.
4. Not only this, multiple search warrants were served in the United States; and Darkode’s domain and servers were seized by the Bureau.

Words of Experts

During the investigation, an important statement was stated by FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano “Cybercriminals shouldn’t have a safe haven to shop for the tools of their trade, and Operation Shrouded Horizon shows we will do everything we can to disrupt their unlawful activities,”.

Primary Fundamentals of the Darkode

The Darkode members were found to be the in charge of creating, disseminating, enabling, and aiding the most heinous and intricate cybercrimes that target victims and financial systems globally, including in the US.

The Darkode Policy

The policy was as follows:-

1. With 250–300 members, the Darkode forum was quite selective about who was allowed to join.
2. Because Darkode administrators were constantly worried about being compromised by law authorities, they made sure that potential members were thoroughly screened.
3. A prospective member of the forum had to be sponsored by an existing member and received a formal invitation to join, which was similar to the Mafia’s procedures.
4. The candidate was required to respond by posting an online introduction, which is essentially a resume, outlining their prior criminal activities, specific cyber talents, and future contributions to the forum.
5. The active members of the forum made the decision to accept or reject applications.

Think Tank of cybercriminals

Members used the site to share ideas, information, and guidance on a variety of cyber-related fraud schemes and other illicit activities, in addition to purchasing and selling unlawful cyber goods and services. It resembled a cybercriminals’ think tank.

Major Breakthrough

What does this case, which is thought to be the most extensive coordinated law enforcement action ever aimed at an online cybercrime forum, mean?

To get the information and proof required to identify and bring these criminals to justice, law enforcement not only shut down a significant resource for cybercriminals but also broke into a closed criminal forum—a difficult undertaking.

And this move paid off, yielding a wealth of information that eventually resulted in the forum’s dissolution and the prosecution of dozens of its most egregious criminal members worldwide.

Role of other nations’ agencies

The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office spearheaded the case, with support from our offices in San Diego, Washington, and several other locations across the nation.

However, without the assistance of Europol and other partners in 19 countries, it would not have been possible.

Moreover, additional information was also we provided to other countries agencies so they could build their own cases against the Darkode criminals living in their countries, in addition to the FBI acquiring sufficient evidence for search warrants and prosecutions in the United States.

To Draw the curtains

This is an excellent illustration of the law enforcement response that also crosses national boundaries for combating cybercrime, which operates on a worldwide scale, Operation Shrouded Horizon.

For Further reference you may visit:- https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/cyber-criminal-forum-taken-down