Cybersecurity folks, grab your cuppa because this is a cracking tale! What if I told you a champion emerged from the underbelly of the hacking world, spilling secrets left, right, and centre in the name of justice? Or so he claims…
Let me introduce you to our protagonist (or antagonist, depends on what side of the fence you fall) – a mystery bloke who calls himself “Nam3L3ss.” His story is the stuff of legends in the dark corner of the internet where hackers collide. And this is the tale of the bloke who’s managed to leak over a hundred databases onto a popular hacking forum.
Blimey! An early Christmas present for data buff, far from a blessing for millions whose data was inadvertently put on the front porch. Now, before you raise your pitchforks and point your ire at our esteemed watchdog, consider this. Not to rain on your parade, but all this data? It was already out for a play, in the less-than-loving embrace of many businesses, shady groups, and downright criminals. Little solace there, I know.
Back in November, “Nam3L3ss” began trickling out gobs of data onto a hacking forum. Some were spoils from big commercial campaigns, some bore the distinct smell of healthcare records, and some were a mixed bag. All up, about a hundred database leaks in a month! And before you ask, they were all sorted quite nicely, marking out the prey and the predator, and just who dropped the ball on data protection.
So, what triggered this wave? Well, pull up a seat. If you remember, in 2023, a black-hat group called Clop had found a glitch in foreign file transferring software – MOVEit. They ended up leaving a massive dent in cybersecurity, affecting over 2,500 companies, making it one of the largest breaches of the year.
Following their modus operandi, the data went to the highest bidder in the underworld, and if no one paid up, it went up online on their leak site. Not exactly a walk in the park to get it though. It was a jumbled, unwieldy, and tedious process, driving away even the most dogged data diggers.
Then, enter our enigmatic “Nam3L3ss,” tidying up the mess, neatly sorted and labelled, all free of charge. A bit of a show-off, our “Nam3L3ss,” don’t you think? Just as the community was piecing it all together, he storms the stage with a manifesto, shouting it from virtual rooftops:
“I am NOT a hacker! Anything that needs a password count me out! I’m not pally with any hacker or ransom group! I don’t deal in data, buying, or selling!”
Alright, mate. Message received, loud and clear. But so many burning questions left unanswered. After a bit of a natter, Nam3L3ss agreed to an interview, a rare insight into the mind of the mystery man.
So lads and lasses, if you’re all ears and eyes, let’s dive into Part 1. Let’s find out who this bloke really is and what is his supposed nobler cause. Perhaps take a gander at Part 2, where we explore how he uncovers little secrets. Or, if you’re feeling a bit philosophical, join us in Part 3 where we ponder over ethical considerations, the future, and more. Ahead we go, into the rabbit hole!
by Parker Bytes
