Hack Read cites Flashpoint’s Investigating Hydra research.
“In its May 2021 report, Flashpoint stated that cybercriminals used Hydra to carry out illegal sales of stolen credit cards, SIM cards, and counterfeit IDs and documents.”
Flashpoint told Hack Read that Hydra was a Russian-language darknet market that enabled large-scale cryptocurrency laundering before its takedown.
What was Hydra and why did authorities shut it down?
Hydra was the world’s largest Russian-language darknet marketplace, facilitating narcotics sales, fraud services, and cryptocurrency laundering at massive scale.
How large was Hydra’s operation?
Hydra had roughly 17 million customers, 19,000 sellers, and generated over $1.3 billion in annual revenue prior to its seizure.
How did Flashpoint analyze Hydra’s cryptocurrency activity?
Flashpoint partnered with Chainalysis to trace Hydra-linked cryptocurrency flows, identifying laundering services and Russia-centric infrastructure. Learn more in Investigating Hydra: Where Cryptocurrency Roads All Lead to Russia and Go Dark.
Subscribe to our weekly threat intelligence newsletter
Interested to see top news from Flashpoint hit your inbox directly? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive curated content on a bi-weekly basis.