One of the largest hacking platforms in the world continues to operate despite the FBI’s claims that it has been shut down

Genesis Market, one of the most popular closed online markets for bots, stolen data, cookies, and digital fingerprints of Internet browsers, continues to operate despite the FBI’s announcement that it was shutting down.

Last month, the bureau announced that the cybercrime marketplace’s infrastructure had been dismantled and the site itself removed from public access. However, an identical version of the platform hosted on the darknet remains active to this day. In addition, the administrators of Genesis Market decided to troll law enforcement by posting information on the site’s header stating that the marketplace was «fully operational.»

In April, the FBI, together with the special services of other countries, conducted a large-scale operation called Cookie Monster. As a result of the police work, dozens of searches took place in several countries, and more than 100 people were detained. However, researchers from Netacea, who monitored the Genesis version on the darknet, said the site was only inaccessible for a few weeks and then resumed its work.

«Fighting cybercrime is very similar to fighting weeds. If you leave some roots, they will grow again,» said Cyril Noel-Tagoe, principal security researcher at Netacea.

Noel-Tagoe also praised the police for shutting down the site on the regular Internet, but was forced to admit that the operation was more of a «disruption of the attackers' activities than a complete elimination.»

American and European law enforcement agencies have not yet commented on the situation. Paul Foster, deputy director of the cybercrime unit of the British National Law Enforcement Agency, said: «Although the darknet version of the site remains active, the amount of stolen data and active users of the marketplace has significantly decreased. I have no doubt that the operation has undermined the criminals' confidence in Genesis Market.»

The police and the cohort of experts agree that the large number of arrests will also have a certain deterrent effect on hackers involved in the exchange of any data or services on Genesis Market.