Admin of Russian Hacker Forum xss.is Arrested in Ukraine After 20 Years of Cybercrime
Kyiv July 24, 2025 — In a major breakthrough against global cybercrime, the suspected administrator of one of the world’s most notorious Russian-speaking hacker forums, xss.is, has been arrested in Kyiv, Ukraine, following a long-running investigation led by French Police, Ukrainian authorities, and Europol.
The forum, which had more than 50,000 registered users, was a place where people could buy and sell stolen data, hacking tools, and illegal cyber services. For almost 20 years, it was a place where hackers from all over the world could meet, trade, and plan attacks like identity theft, fraud, ransomware, and extortion.
A Criminal Empire in the Dark
Investigators say that the man who ran the platform was more than just a technical operator; he was a key player in the world of cybercrime. He helped cybercriminals make deals, settle arguments, and make sure that transactions were safe. In other words, he was the “banker and judge” of the underground.
The suspect is also thought to have run thesecure.biz, a private encrypted messaging service made just for criminals who want to stay out of the sight of law enforcement. He is said to have made more than €7 million through transaction facilitation and advertising fees.
Global Action in Harmony
The arrest happened on July 22, 2025, as part of a series of planned operations. French police started looking into the case in 2021. They sent officers to Ukraine in September 2024, when the operation entered its “action phase.”
With the help of Europol, a virtual command post was set up to keep an eye on and direct actions in Kyiv in real time. Europol also sent mobile office units to the scene to make sure that collecting evidence and providing forensic support went smoothly. Authorities are now looking at the data they seized, which may hold important clues that could lead them to other hackers and criminal networks in Europe and beyond.
Europol: This Is Only the Start
The operation is in line with Europol’s most recent 2025 Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA), which warns about the dangerous growth of black markets for stolen data. These sites let criminals work without fear of being caught, which is why they are so popular.
Europol says that sites like xss.is don’t just help criminals; they also support whole underground economies. Anyone with a laptop can get hacking tools, buy stolen personal data, and even hire cyber hitmen.
Who Was Involved?
This well-known operation brought together the best cybercrime-fighting teams from both Western and Eastern Europe:
• France: The Cybercrime Brigade of the Paris Police and the Paris Prosecutor’s Office (JUNALCO)
• Ukraine: The Cybercrime Department of the Security Service of Ukraine and the General Prosecutor’s Office
• Europol: helped with international cooperation, data analysis, and operations on the ground
The Road Ahead
Officials say that the fight against cybercrime is far from over, even though the fall of xss.is is a big win.
With police now looking at a lot of data that was seized, more arrests and takedowns are likely to happen in the next few months. Investigators think that this operation could reveal whole networks of hackers who work across borders.
As cybercrime changes, this case shows how important it is for countries to work together, respond quickly, and make the public aware of the hidden dangers of the internet.
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