A Welshman has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in numerous swatting incidents across the UK, US, and Canada. Callum Dare, 26, was an administrator for Doxbin, a dark web platform used for doxxing and facilitating harassment, according to a recent report by The Register.
While Dare did not personally make swatting calls, investigators found he actively encouraged and assisted others in targeting individuals and organizations through the platform's '#deadnet' channel. His involvement came to light in 2019 when the FBI alerted South Wales Police.
Digital forensics revealed Dare assembled and shared montages of emergency service responses to swatting calls to inspire further attacks. These attacks included a false bomb threat to the Los Angeles Police Department and a hoax involving nail bombs and hostages at a Cardiff hotel, which led to the evacuation of a busy street. Investigations into a Canadian swatting incident, where a programmer was targeted with a false hostage and bomb threat, ultimately led authorities to Dare through seized chat logs and financial records.
Officers found evidence on his devices, including a phishing kit designed to harvest credentials, although there's no indication he used it in real-world attacks. Dare pleaded guilty to encouraging malicious communications and possessing articles for fraud, receiving a sentence of two years and three months. Law enforcement emphasized that swatting is a dangerous crime with potentially deadly consequences and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in bringing perpetrators to justice.
Kelley Damore is Chief Content Officer at CyberRisk Alliance, where she leads content strategy across the company’s digital brands, research, communities and live events serving CISOs and security practitioners. At CyberRisk Alliance, she is focused on delivering 365-day engagement, trusted journalism and actionable insights to help security leaders navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Kelley Damore is Chief Content Officer at CyberRisk Alliance, where she leads content strategy across the company’s digital brands, research, communities and live events serving CISOs and security practitioners. At CyberRisk Alliance, she is focused on delivering 365-day engagement, trusted journalism and actionable insights to help security leaders navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.
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