Istanbul Police Bust “Black Hat Hacker” Gang, Recovering Data of 19.8 Million Facebook Users
Istanbul, March 26 – The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has successfully dismantled a “Black Hat Hacker” gang responsible for stealing personal data of millions, emptying international bank accounts, and trading this information through custom “panels.” The organized cybercrime group is reported to have obtained data belonging to 19.8 million Facebook users, siphoned funds from dormant accounts in foreign banks, and accessed public institution databases to sell citizens’ information via proprietary query panels named “Avatar” and “Sor Gelsin.”
Extensive Investigation Leads to Arrests
Under the meticulous efforts of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, a criminal organization led by Gökay Celal Gülen, known in the IT world as a “Black Hat Hacker,” was uncovered. In simultaneous operations, seven suspects, including the alleged leader, were apprehended and taken into custody. Numerous digital materials were seized during searches at the suspects’ residences.
The Scale of the Heist Is Astounding
Information contained within the investigation file indicates that the criminal organization’s activities were not limited to Turkey but extended internationally. Among the identified actions of the group were bank robberies. The suspects were found to have transferred money from “dormant accounts” in foreign banks, particularly Volksbanken and Kasseler Sparkasse, to their own accounts through cyber theft, and also engaged in card cloning operations.
Infiltration of Facebook Database
The cyber gang infiltrated the Facebook database, obtaining personal data belonging to approximately 19.8 million individuals. Furthermore, they stored usernames and passwords for 10,768 Instagram, Facebook, and email accounts. The gang, which also accessed public institution databases to steal citizens’ information, created special query panels called “Avatar” and “Sor Gelsin” and sold this data for a fee.
Data Exfiltration from an Insurance Company
The network also breached an insurance company’s system, stealing 5,500 accident policies. Additionally, they seized and marketed images of local and foreign individuals holding their IDs for security verification purposes via Telegram.
Training Videos for Data Theft
The suspects were observed creating practical training videos on their criminal methods, such as card cloning and Facebook infiltration, and utilized numerous spyware tools.
Digital Evidence Reveals Operation Details
During searches at the home of one of the suspects, Osman Yıldırım, seized hard drives and digital devices revealed the entire operational system of the criminal organization. The confiscated materials included folders containing personal data of millions, training videos on criminal methods, Swift transaction details and money transfer receipts, WhatsApp correspondence, and Zoom meeting recordings where criminal plans were made. It was also noted that the suspects organized via Zoom to establish an illegal IPTV platform and exploited all technical capabilities of the cyber world for criminal purposes.
Source: https://www.sabah.com.tr/yasam/istanbulda-siyah-sapkali-hacker-cetesi-cokertildi-facebooktan-19-milyon-800-bin-kisinin-verilerini-calmislar-7550723
