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Luifizer

Member

Registered: 2019-05-06

Posts: 37

It's crazy how the WSM admins threw away their lives like that

Just reading up on the WSM bust again today. The admins seemed incredibly relaxed with their OpSec considering they were facing decades in prison if they were to get caught. It just amazes me they had their lives on the line and yet their OpSec was the OpSec of noobs. 

If you don't already know, here is a recap on how they got caught....

One of the admins didn't have a VPN kill switch, or didn't have it turned on, so as soon as the VPN connection dropped (and sooner or later it always does) his ip was exposed. 

Another admin had his PGP public key tied to his Hansa account, which in turn got tied to a Bitcoin transaction, which in turn got tied to a Bitcoin wallet connected to his real identity.  He used a Bitcoin tumbler but the transaction got "de-mixed" by the US Postal Inspection Service.  It's the second time I've heard of PGP getting someone caught through the users own mistakes.

The third admin got tracked down through metadata but nevertheless it wasn't enough to nail him in court....that was until he started talking to investigators instead of asking for a lawyer.

BASIC lessons to take away from this:

1) Force all connections through a VPN and turn the kill switch on.

2) Cut all ties with your old accounts, that means PGP, usernames, crypto wallets, emails, everything.

3) To hide your Bitcoin transactions, convert Bitcoin to Monero then back to Bitcoin using different exchangers each time.  Get new crypto wallets/accounts from time to time.

4) If you get busted, exercise your right to remain silent and ask to call a lawyer.

These are simple lessons to take away from the WSM bust and make it a little harder for LE to track you down.

Last edited by Luifizer (2019-05-19 01:50)

Psychedaddy

Member

Registered: 2019-04-01

Posts: 260

Re: It's crazy how the WSM admins threw away their lives like that

Yeah mindboggling how bad their OPSEC was, particularly the guy using the mobile data stick with the VPN. Though not surprising that they didnt know what the fuck they were doing when you saw the state of WSM.

Luifizer

Member

Registered: 2019-05-06

Posts: 37

Re: It's crazy how the WSM admins threw away their lives like that

Though not surprising that they didnt know what the fuck they were doing when you saw the state of WSM.

Yes.  It was obvious their competency was lacking. 

I bet reality is sinking in for them now.  They'll be sitting across the table from their lawyers who are telling them the lowest sentence they can get for them is 20 years with parole in 15.  Then they'll be told when they have done serving their time in the US, they'll be sentenced to serve time in Germany as well.  They're totally fucked.

Ruakaka

Member

Registered: 2019-04-09

Posts: 154

Re: It's crazy how the WSM admins threw away their lives like that

Godspeed to those people

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