ARES leak forum gains traction after BreachForums shutdown

The ARES threat operation had its data leak site become increasingly popular following the dismantling of BreachForums, BleepingComputer reports. Stolen data from 65 countries, including the U.S., are being leaked by ARES Leaks, which houses all types of data, such as customer information, phone numbers, email addresses, government leaks, company databases, passports, and others, according to a Cyfirma report. Aside from the leak site, ARES has also been offering pen-testing, distributed denial-of-service, malware development, and vulnerability exploitation services, which could be availed through cryptocurrency transactions. ARES has also supported the LeakBase project, a malicious marketplace offering free databases, leaks, leads, and exploits, as well as social engineering, cryptography, programming, and hacking guides and forum discussions. While LeakBase continues to be less sophisticated than the now-defunct BreachForums, the latter's shutdown is poised to accelerate its growth and enable it to become a notable cybercrime market hub, said Cyfirma researchers.