US and EU police shut down LeakBase, a site accused of sharing stolen passwords and hacking tools

In Brief Posted: 11:01 AM PST · March 4, 2026 Image Credits:TechCrunch (screenshot) Zack Whittaker US and EU police shut down LeakBase, a site accused of sharing stolen passwords and hacking tools U.S. and European law enforcement have seized the database from LeakBase, which prosecutors have touted as “one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals” for sharing stolen passwords and hacking tools. U.S. and European police seized the site earlier this week, and say its database has over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages sent between members. LeakBase has been operating since 2021, the authorities said, and had a continuously maintained archive of hacked databases, including hundreds of millions of account credentials, credit card numbers, and banking account and routing information. This is the latest takedown targeting sites that trade in stolen credentials, which are increasingly used to break into people’s accounts and steal data and cryptocurrency. Europol said in a statement that around 100 enforcement actions were taken worldwide, including measures taken against the top 37 active users on the forum. Earlier on Wednesday, the FBI redirected the site’s domain to nameservers controlled by the agency, effectively shutting the site down. Leakbase now displays a seizure notice, saying that the forum’s contents, private messages, and IP address logs have been preserved. According to The Record, which interviewed FBI’s cyber official Brett Leatherman, the investigation resulted in over 13 arrests, searches, and interviews with 33 suspects, and capturing the forum’s entire database. A European police officer Image Credits:Europol Topics cybersecurity, department of justice, Europol, In Brief, leakbase, Security, TC June 9 Boston, MA Actively scaling? Fundraising? Planning your next launch?TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 delivers tactical playbooks and direct access to 1,000+ founders and investors who are building, backing, and closing.Register by March 13 to save up to $300. REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. Related Security A suite of government hacking tools targeting iPhones is now being used by cybercriminals Zack Whittaker 22 hours ago Security Hacked traffic cams and hijacked TVs: How cyber operations supported the war against Iran Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 1 day ago Security A new app alerts you if someone nearby is wearing smart glasses Zack Whittaker 2 days ago Latest in Security In Brief US and EU police shut down LeakBase, a site accused of sharing stolen passwords and hacking tools Zack Whittaker 2 hours ago Security A suite of government hacking tools targeting iPhones is now being used by cybercriminals Zack Whittaker 22 hours ago Security Hacked traffic cams and hijacked TVs: How cyber operations supported the war against Iran Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 1 day ago