The FBI has seized the domains of several prominent hacking and cybercrime forums, including Nulled.to, Cracked.to, and Cracked.io, as part of an ongoing operation named “Operation Talent.” The seizures took place on January 29, 2025, in a coordinated effort to combat illegal online activities. In addition to the hacking forums, authorities also seized three other domains: StarkRDP.io, Sellix.io, and MySellix.io. The DNS records for these websites have been redirected to FBI servers, indicating a government takeover.
Initially, there was no official confirmation or seizure notices displayed on the affected sites. However, it has now been confirmed that some of these websites are displaying banners associated with Operation Talent, informing visitors that the sites and user information have been seized by international law enforcement agencies. Operation Talent is a collaborative effort involving multiple international partners, including Europol, the Australian Federal Police, and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office.
The global scale of the operation reflects the severity of the cybercrime activities facilitated by the seized platforms. The seized forums were notorious for their roles in various illicit activities, such as distributing cracked software, stolen credentials, and hacking tools.
FBI targets forums in Operation Talent
StarkRDP.io, a virtual hosting provider, was allegedly misused by cybercriminals to host scams and other illegal activities, leading to its seizure. Sellix.io and MySellix.io, operated by Sellix SRL in Bologna, Italy, were reportedly connected to the Cracked.to forum, providing payment services for transactions related to cybercriminal activities. Cracked.to’s administrators confirmed the seizure on their Telegram channel, expressing disappointment and stating that they are awaiting official court documentation.
The administrators’ active presence suggests that the forum may resurface under a different domain in the near future. As of now, no official press release has been issued by the FBI or any U.S. law enforcement agency regarding the seizures. It is also unclear whether any arrests have been made in connection with Operation Talent.
The takedown of these prominent hacking forums and related websites marks a significant step in the fight against cybercrime. Further updates on the operation are expected as more information becomes available from law enforcement agencies.
