An Internet user publishes stolen data to protest against the criminalization of whistleblowers

An Internet user, known as “Nam3L3ss,” announced in mid-November 2024 on a cybercriminal forum that he would release 28 databases belonging to major companies or organizations. He claims to be protesting against the criminalization of cyber whistleblowers.

Among the entities mentioned are Amazon, Delta, HSBC, UBS, McDonald’s, Lenovo, and the Los Angeles Police Department. Almost all were victims of the 2023 MOVEit file transfer software hack carried out by the ransomware gang Cl0p. Nam3L3ss denies any connection to the cybercriminal group but does not specify whether he accessed the vulnerable systems himself or obtained files stolen by Cl0p.

Nam3L3ss frames his dramatic action as a response to the lawsuit filed by the city of Columbus, Ohio, against an IT consultant. In the summer of 2024, the city fell victim to a ransomware attack orchestrated by the Rhysia gang and allegedly downplayed the incident’s consequences.

The IT consultant, according to his own statements, retrieved the stolen data from the dark web and shared it with the media to expose the municipal team’s falsehoods. Columbus promptly indicted the hacktivist. “This case is not about freedom of speech or whistleblowing but about downloading and disclosing stolen records,” explained the local prosecutor.

This decision angered Nam3L3ss, who also identifies as a whistleblower, describing himself as a citizen who “simply monitors the dark web and exposed online cloud services,” rather than as a hacker. He insists he neither buys nor sells data but believes “it’s time” for businesses and governments to “take personal data seriously.”