Miyako – Admin of the Hellcat Ransomware Group
Miyako
Threat ActorBigFatChat emerged in late 2019 as a Telegram-based carding community, initially operating as a community focused on trading stolen financial data and fraudulent payment methods. The community implemented a paid verification system where sellers could purchase "Verified Status" to establish credibility and gain access to premium trading sections.
In late-2024, the operation expanded to a clearnet website, implementing sophisticated security measures including blockchain-based payment systems and Matrix messenger to enhance user anonymity. The platform maintains a mandatory escrow service for all sellers.
Current analysis indicates an active user base exceeding 50,000 members across all networks, with daily transaction volumes suggesting significant financial activity. The forum continues to operate through both Telegram channels and their clearnet presence, adapting to increased scrutiny with enhanced OPSEC practices.
Interview Transcript
Interviewer
Welcome to the Threat Cat interview, Miyako! As this is our first engagement, can you please tell us about yourself and your work?
Miyako
Thank you for having me. I operate under the alias Miyako and specialize in targeted breaches of corporate and government networks. My focus is on gaining high-value data, particularly intellectual property and personal information, which can be monetized or weaponized. My operations are global, with a preference for sectors like finance, healthcare, and tech.
Interviewer
Why did you decide to work in this field and what keeps up the motivation?
Miyako
It is fun, easy money. Making headlines forces me to stay sharp and evolve/learn new things. I try not to sell access that can endanger lives, but other than that I see it as if I didn't break in someone else would very soon, so I don't feel like I am causing an insane amount of harm to companies. Again, if they cared enough, they would have patched their systems.
Fun fact: The major USA Telecom Breach that has been going on is due to unpatched Cisco Routers. A 2017 CVE that is being exploited on major US Telecom networks. It is funny to know that americans are this lazy.