Notorious BreachForums Shuts Down After Feds Arrest Its Owner

pcmag.com:

BreachForums, a notorious website that hosted stolen databases, has shut down after federal investigators arrested the forum’s alleged owner. 

“I will be taking down the forum, as I believe we can assume that nothing is safe anymore,” an admin for BreachForums named “Baphomet” wrote in a Telegram channel on Monday. 

Last week, federal agents arrested New York resident Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, also known as “Pompompurin,” for running BreachForums. The site emerged a year ago after US law enforcement shut down RaidForums, which also trafficked in stolen databases. 

BreachForums was quick to fill the void, becoming a major destination for cybercriminals to buy and sell goods. In the months since, the site has been found hosting hundreds of stolen databases from various companies and organizations, most recently PC maker Acer, and health insurance provider DC Health Link.  

As a result, Fitzpatrick has been charged with one count of conspiracy for selling access to unauthorized devices. His alias “Pompompurin” has also been tied to several hacks, including infiltrating the FBI's InfraGard program, a site that featured contacts on thousands of private sector providers, according(Opens in a new window) to security journalist Brian Krebs.  

Following Fitzpatrick’s arrest, a BreachForums admin named Baphomet emerged on Friday, claiming they’d assume ownership over the site. “I have most, if not all the access necessary to protect BF infrastructure and users,” Baphomet initially wrote(Opens in a new window) in a forum post. 

At the time, Baphomet found no evidence that showed BreachForums had been compromised. The admin then proceeded to temporarily shut the site down in an effort to fix bugs. But on Monday night, Baphomet threw