Anonymous has successfully taken down the darknet child pornography site “Pedobum” and “YATL”. The group went on to inform users that their information would be reported to authorities. This marked the beginning of operation #OpPedoBum, as more CP websites fall. Anonymous has just started and will be handing in all credentials and information they can to law enforcement and releasing it to the public.
Key Insights
- “Anonymous” returned once again, exposing and shutting down two child (CP) pornography focused sites on the darknet.
- “Pedobum” was a platform for exchanging child pornography and pedophile chat capabilities.
- “YATLD” didn’t provide CSAM, but gave users the directory to find images.
- Users logging into “Pedobum” now receive a message from Anonymous stating their information will be forwarded to law enforcement.
- The site administrator, “Clown,” inadvertently enabled Anonymous’s infiltration by previously avoiding Javascript.
- Operation #OpPedoBum began on June 29th, 2024.
- Following the takedown of “Pedobum,” other similar platforms have also gone offline.
Darknet Pedophile Websites “Pedobum” and “YATL” Taken Offline
Anonymous is a calibrated group of hackers mostly known for their hacktivist movements. While their work is usually aimed at government agencies and institutions, they do take side quests, attacking some of the worst people in the world. This time, they’re looking to bring justice to Darknet CP platforms and pedophile sites, starting with one known as “Pedobum”. The recent attack was a great success on Anonymous’s part, but there are other implications that should be considered.
CP and pedophiles on the darknet are among the long list of crime-related sites on the dark web. However, even darknet markets and most darknet users agree that the CP Website should be banned and the CSAM that comes with it is cruel. This is why there’s almost always a celebration when CP websites go down and when users are captured.
According to Anonymous, the aim is to shut down and reveal information that will lead to the arrests of these perpetrators. Anonymous managed to do exactly as they intended to platform “Pedobum.”
“Pedobum” is a platform that has long served as a hub for the exchange of child pornography images and videos, accompanied by chat capabilities tailored for pedophiles. Despite its longstanding activity, recent developments have introduced a deterrent for users attempting to access the site. Upon logging in, individuals are greeted with a video message from Anonymous informing them that their server information has been documented and will promptly be forwarded to law enforcement authorities.
The site administrator, known by the alias “Clown,” inadvertently facilitated Anonymous’s infiltration. Initially, the website was intentionally built to operate without Javascript. However, following Anonymous’s breach, the site has now been inundated with Java components, including deploying a Java application. This application is believed to be loaded by Anonymous to identify users, thereby enabling the group to proceed with their intended actions and threats. Although the Tor browser is meant to keep users anonymous, Anonymous has since removed this right and replaced it with an intentional threat to the delivery of their private data.
YATL Removed
YATL, or Yet Another Topic Links, advertised itself as an online boutique for “adult content” fans. But behind the curtain, where it acts as a directory for people looking for listings of adult pornographic websites, YATL entices its visitors with links to a wide variety of CSAM websites.
Its a big CSAM site. huge in fact. YATL was a gateway to loads of other sites. Just reporting to NCMEC wasn’t enough. Not when we could do so much more. We’ve got copies of everything and its been gift wrapped and sent to law enforcement. Only pedos suffering here
Anonymous has taken responsibility for its activities, commencing on June 29th, 2024, as part of operation #OpPedoBum. The group’s objectives include disrupting these websites, deterring users, bringing much-needed public attention to the problem, and addressing criminal activity on the dark web. Anonymous has highlighted vulnerabilities in the security of these platforms, leveraging them strategically.
CP Website Users Data Leaked
While the majority of the public commends such vigilant actions, some have pointed out that sending published information about these users could potentially put innocent people in harm’s way and also obstruct law enforcement in their investigations. Because Anonymous is using server data to send to the authorities, anyone at this address or using this server instantly would be suspected of being the user who logged on to the site.
While obviously, user names could help pinpoint the user, it is not foolproof and could damage an innocent person’s reputation. Additionally, LE won’t be able to make arrests alone on this information. Defendants can easily accuse Anonymous for tampered with the evidence before giving it to law enforcement. Chain of custody is a thing, but it does allow for
According to Anonymous “The damage #OpPedoBum has done is far more than taking down two sites. It cripples thousands of pedos around the world and stops them getting easy access to child abuse images”
The user also noted “One of the best things about #OpPedoBum is seeing all the ways the pedos are screaming about how sad they are that we took away YATL and PedoBum. We cut them off from massive image collections that they can never get back. And everything is all wrapped up for LEA [Law enforcement agencies] to look into”
The Darknets CP Problem
The Darknet has a CSAM and CP problem. We’ve covered numerous users who have run these websites and its sad to see that these websites include millions of users. When one website goes down, another opens and more users flood in.
However, following Anonymous’s successful infiltration of “Pedobum,” numerous other platforms related to child pornography and pedophile chat sites have subsequently gone offline. It is unclear whether these sites were also targeted by Anonymous or if their actions have effectively deterred users, resulting in voluntary shutdowns. Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge that Anonymous has played a pivotal role in triggering this response within the dark web, thereby achieving its objective.
This marks the potential beginning of a highly effective strategy to digitally cripple or even eliminate these illicit platforms. According the Anonymous hacker, this is just the beginning.