A notorious cybercrime group called ShinyHunters claims it hijacked the dark-web website of rival gang Clop and replaced it with a “Domain Seized” message. Yes, the people who extort corporations are now doing the online equivalent of changing a rival's answering-machine greeting.
Cybersecurity researchers say the takeover appears genuine. The dispute centers on a previously unknown vulnerability in Oracle's E-Business Suite, which Clop allegedly used to steal information from more than 100 organizations.
The thieves are arguing over who found the open window
ShinyHunters claims it discovered the vulnerability first and accused Clop of taking advantage of its work. The two groups have traded public threats, including suggestions that internal details and identities could be exposed.
Clop has previously used flaws in MOVEit software to breach more than 600 organizations. ShinyHunters has been linked to high-profile thefts involving major companies, schools and gaming businesses. Neither side is a plucky underdog. This is not WarGames; Matthew Broderick is not arriving to improve the mood.
A feud can help investigators—but victims still pay
Criminal groups normally benefit from silence, compartmentalization and distrust. Public infighting can expose infrastructure, methods and personal relationships that law-enforcement agencies and security researchers may be able to use.
Reuters reported the dark-web feud on September 21, 2026.
The spectacle is absurd, but the damage is real. Stolen data, disrupted schools and extorted companies are not background props in a hacker soap opera. If the gangs insist on turning on one another, investigators will be happy to take notes. Everybody else should keep patching the software.
Facts first. Side-eye included.
DJF separates what is confirmed from what is claimed—and tells you why this particular mess is worth your time.
Wade Crowley
Strange News & Small-Town WeirdWade collects stories that begin with “You are not going to believe what happened at the Walmart.” He covers odd crime, local legends, UFOs, and reality losing the plot.
“Somewhere, a police report is already getting weirder.”