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Hackforums is the largest MyBB forum as of May 2014.[1] Given its name, its main themes are hacking, technology, and computing. It is known for being the largest MyBB forum and for its collection of users, who have notoriously hacked Miss Teen America, used the malicious software called Blackshades to infect computers, and privacy complaints regarding its "RAT" section.
Notable Events
editHackforums has been involved in numerous controversies and incidents regarding its userbase, which include the hacking of Miss Teen America, its users having been raided for involvement with the malicious tool Blackshades, as well as being apart of the undercover sting of carders.
Undercover Sting
editIn June 2010, Jesse Labrocca, owner of the site under the pseudonym "Omniscient" created a thread notifying members that the forum would no longer tolerate the messages of how to buy and use Zeus (trojan), a trojan horse known for its ability to steal credit card information.[2] He instead instructed members who wished to continue to discuss Zeus to signup for Carderprofit.cc, an undercover sting site set up by the FBI. A number of individuals, including one member of Lulzsec was arrested as a result.[3]
Miss Teen America
editIn March 2014, Jared James Abraham, 19 had been using a trojan horse (computing) in order to spy on Miss Teen America's Cassidy Wolf's webcam. Abrahams threatened to ‘'transform [her] dream of being a model into a pornstar’' if she did not comply.[4] She called the police, who then traced it back to Abrahams, who was laid arrested. Later, it had been revealed that the user had sought help on Hackforums in dealing with the software, asking for help in spreading the malware to other individuals.[5]
RAT Section
editThe website has received attention for its "Remote Administration Tool" section, where discussions on how to 'spread' your malware is common place. One thread entitled ☆ ShowCase ☆ Girl Slaves On Your RAT explicitly encourages forum users to post images from 'slave's' webcams, a term referring to an infected computer. The types of threads regarding the morality of posting images have been criticized by other forum users, but have largely been dismissed with such responses as some jelous peeps out there who probably cant find any girls to take there servers. its nothing compared to people stealing accounts and shit like that and its doing no harm as long as there not aware of it what the problem? if you dont like dont look.[6]
Blackshades
editIn May 2014, a thread was created on Hackforums entitled ARTICLE TITLE, in which several users described being raided or being served warrants for having purchased and used Blackshades.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Biggest boards". Biggest Boards (Size Matters). Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "BlackShades Trojan users had it coming". The Hacker News. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "MAY 14 'Blackshades' Trojan Users Had It Coming". Krebson Security. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "Calif. teen, guilty in Miss Teen USA 'sextortion' plot, sentenced to 18 months in prison". NYDailyNews. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "How the FBI found Miss Teen USA's webcam spy". Arstechnica. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "Meet the men who spy on women through their webcams". Arstechnica. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "FBI raids BlackShades RAT Malware Customers in Europe and Australia". The Sunday Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
External links
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