Security News > 2024 > May > First LockBit, now BreachForums: Are cops winning the war or just a few battles?

Interview On Wednesday the FBI and international cops celebrated yet another cybercrime takedown - of ransomware brokerage site BreachForums - just a week after doxing and imposing sanctions on the LockBit ransomware crew's kingpin, and two months after compromising the gang's website.

While the BreachForums shutdown didn't have quite the swagger of the LockBit seizure in February, it did brag the stolen data marketplace "Is under control of the FBI" and include profile pics of website admins Baphomet and ShinyHunters.

McPherson was the agent in charge of the FBI Tampa field office when it became the first to come across the Hive ransomware variant - and eventually led the seizure of the criminal crew's network.

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There are indications that the FBI is getting closer to nabbing key members of this group - including comments made by Brett Leatherman, the FBI's cyber deputy assistant director, to reporters during last week's RSA Conference.

"Brett Leatherman is out there talking publicly about [how] we're going to do something - the FBI never talks like that," McPherson observes, adding that he has no insider knowledge of plans regarding Scattered Spider.

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