User:Jennytacular/sandbox/OGUsers
 | |
Type of site | Forum |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Founder(s) | "Ace"[1] |
| URL | ogu |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Optional (required to participate) |
| Launched | April 2017; 5 years ago[2] |
OGUsers (OGU) is a internet forum that facilitates the discussion and hacking of social media accounts and online usernames.[3][4] Established in 2017, the website is dedicated to the buying and selling of "rare" or "OG" online accounts that are considered valuable due to their name or age.[5] The website acts as a platform for cybercrime and the harrasment of individuals for access to their online accounts.[6][7][8][9][10] Several high-profile incidents have been linked to the forum, most notably the 2020 Twitter account hijacking.[11]
Incidents
[edit]The site has been linked to various SIM swap scams, where discussion took place on identity theft methods in order to change login information for online accounts.[12][13]
Graham Ivan Clark, regarded as the "mastermind" behind the 2020 Twitter account hijacking, was a former member of the forum.[14] Two participants, Mason Sheppard and Nima Fazeli, acted as brokers in selling of Twitter handles on the website.[15]
Security breaches
[edit]The website was hacked in May 2019, with the administrator of RaidForums uploading the database of the website for anyone to access.[16] In December 2020, the website was hacked again with user data being stolen.[17] In April 2021, the information of 350,000 members of the forum was breached.[18]
Impact
[edit]Brian Krebs, an American journalist and investigative reporter known for the coverage of cybercriminals, has described the forum as a place "overrun with shady characters who are there mainly to rip off other members.”[10] In his report, he described how Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter have took steps to crack down on users of the forum involved in the trafficking of hijacked accounts.[19] Facebook told Krebs that the forum uses various tactics, such as harrasment, intimidation, hacking, coercion, extortion, sextortion, SIM swapping, and swatting.[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Admin of Forum Where Users Trade Stolen Instagrams: Hacking Is 'Not Our Problem'". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ Ramasubramanian, Sowmya (2021-02-22). "Instagram accounts take downs and the role of 'OGUsers' explained". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ Pastrana, Sergio; Hutchings, Alice; Thomas, Daniel; Tapiador, Juan (2019-10-21). "Measuring eWhoring" (PDF). University of Cambridge. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Newman, Lily Hay. "A Coordinated Takedown Targets 'OGUser' Account Thieves". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ Serapiglia, Anthony (2019). "Cybersecurity and Cryptocurrencies: Introducing ecosystem vulnerabilities through current events" (PDF). Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "OGUsers hacker forum hacked for 4th time; database leaked". 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "The Hackers Who Can Hijack Your SIM Card Using Only Your Phone Number". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "Harassing texts. Unwanted deliveries. Fake bomb threats that bring police to the door. Inside the tactics cybercriminals use to get social media users to surrender their accounts". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ Lorenz, Taylor (2021-02-04). "Instagram Bans Hundreds of Accounts With Stolen User Names". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ a b c "Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter Target Resellers of Hacked Accounts - Krebs on Security". KrebsonSecurity. 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Ghosh, Isobel Asher Hamilton, Shona. "A hacker forum obsessed with super-short 'OG' handles was selling Twitter account access for $3,000 days before the giant hack". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Morris, Alex (2022-07-08). "How 'Baby Al Capone' Pulled Off a $24 Million Crypto Heist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ Hicks, Jasmine (2021-10-20). "Two SIM swappers phished a phone company so they could steal $16K in crypto". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ Goodin, Dan (2021-03-17). "I was a teenage Twitter hacker. Graham Ivan Clark gets 3-year sentence". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "How the FBI tracked down the Twitter hackers". ZDNET. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "Account Hijacking Forum OGusers Hacked – Krebs on Security". Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "Stolen credentials forum OGUsers hacked again with user data stolen". SiliconANGLE. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "OGUsers hacker forum hacked for 4th time; database leaked". 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter crack down on 'OGUsers' theft ring". CNET. Retrieved 2023-02-25.