LeakBase cybercrime forum with 142,000 users taken down in global operation
LeakBase, an open-web cybercrime forum facilitating the trade of leaked databases and “stealer logs” containing stolen credentials, has been taken down in an international law enforcement operation coordinated by Europol and involving authorities from 14 countries.
Police in action (Source: Europol)
Active since 2021, LeakBase hosted a large archive of breached databases and compromised credentials used to facilitate account takeover, fraud and further cyber intrusions.
By December 2025, the forum had more than 142,000 registered users, 32,000 posts, and over 215,000 private messages, reflecting its scale and global reach.
During the investigation, authorities seized the forum’s database, enabling them to deanonymize multiple users who believed they were operating anonymously. Law enforcement officers also contacted several suspects through the same online channels used to facilitate the criminal activity.
“This operation shows that no corner of the internet is beyond the reach of international law enforcement. What began as a shadowy forum for stolen data has now been dismantled, and those who believed they could hide behind anonymity are being identified and held accountable. This is a clear message to cybercriminals everywhere: if you traffic in other people’s stolen information, law enforcement will find you and bring you to justice,” Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, explained.
Two-phase takedown
The takedown was carried out in two phases. The first phase, on March 3, involved coordinated law enforcement actions across multiple jurisdictions, including arrests, house searches and doorstep interviews. Measures targeted 37 of the platform’s most active users, and around 100 enforcement actions were carried out.
The second phase, on March 4, focused on technical disruption. Authorities seized the forum’s domain and replaced it with a law enforcement splash page.
The operation has now entered a prevention phase aimed at deterring further criminal activity and raising awareness of the consequences of cybercrime.