Nayanika: A Case of Clout-Chasing and Copycat Leaks in the Underground

Nayanika is a newly emerged actor observed on DarkForums who quickly gained attention by publishing two back-to-back leaks: a list of 780 Apple ID credentials followed by a high-profile claim of breaching INTERPOL. This sequence of events, particularly the bold nature of the second claim, positioned the actor as a potentially dangerous figure with access to sensitive institutional data.

However, a detailed investigation conducted through StealthMole revealed discrepancies in the authenticity of the Interpol leak. While the Apple ID dump appeared to be original and previously unrecorded, the INTERPOL leak was a direct copy of a database originally shared by a different actor on DemonForums in February 2025. Both the content and structure of the data, along with the identical file hash, confirmed it was a recycled dump.

This report dissects both incidents, correlates infrastructure, evaluates actor behavior, and clearly distinguishes between original and copied material. The findings indicate that Nayanika is likely a low-tier opportunist seeking underground clout through impersonation.

Incident Trigger and Initial Investigation

The investigation into Nayanika began when StealthMole’s leak monitoring system flagged a thread on DarkForums that appeared to advertise a data breach involving INTERPOL. The actor, using the alias Nayanika, shared what was presented as a recent and significant leak of confidential Interpol data. The structure and tone of the post followed a familiar high-impact leak format, and it was immediately escalated for review due to the critical nature of the alleged target.

The post linked to a JSON file hosted on Catbox and was titled "INTERPOL.INT DATA LEAK [2025]". Due to the sensitivity of the target, I initially considered the possibility of a newly compromised law enforcement database and moved to assess the legitimacy of the leak.

At the time of detection, there were no other posts linked to Nayanika in StealthMole’s database. The actor had no known reputation, and the post appeared in a high-visibility section of DarkForums typically used for marketing credential dumps or breached databases. This combination of unknown actor and high-profile claim prompted a full review through StealthMole’s validation and correlation tools.

The post’s metadata, hash values, and file structure were immediately scanned against existing records. StealthMole’s darkweb tracker matched the dump to an earlier post made by actor 1*******g on DemonForums, dated 5 February 2025. The match included not only the SHA-256 hash, but also identical link hosting and content formatting.

What initially appeared to be an escalation event turned out to be a strategic impersonation attempt, shifting the investigative lens from breach validation to actor intent and attribution.

Leak Analysis

Apple ID Credential Leak

Date Posted: 17 July 2025

Location: DarkForums

Content: 780 email-password combinations for Apple accounts

Hosting Platform: https://*********.**/*****b

Description:

The Apple credential leak was Nayanika’s first post on DarkForums and was presented with minimal commentary. The paste contained plaintext combinations of emails and passwords, with no added security features or attempts to obscure metadata. This method of posting, using J*********.*t without encryption or file packaging, is typical of actors operating with limited operational security.

Validation Process:

• The contents were cross-checked using StealthMole’s darkweb tracker and credential correlation tools.
• No existing matches were found across major public or darkweb credential databases.
• StealthMole also verified that the paste hash (4*************************************************************4) did not appear in prior dump clusters.

Assessment:

While modest in size, this leak is assessed to be original. It likely originated from a small-scale cracking operation or privately obtained stealer logs. The absence of repeat visibility suggests that Nayanika may have limited but real access to credential harvesting tools.

Interpol Leak Claim

Date Posted: 18 July 2025

Location: DarkForums

Content: **** dump of internal INTERPOL data (alleged)

Hosting Platform: https://f*****.******.**e/v*****.***n

Description:

The actor claimed to have breached INTERPOL and shared the data via C*****x. The post was written with dramatic emphasis, designed to attract maximum attention. The file appeared to contain structured internal entries, but upon deeper validation, it was clear the dump had been previously leaked.

Validation Process:

• StealthMole revealed that the same file (hash: 4**************************************************b) had been posted by actor 1******g on DemonForums on 5 February 2025.
• The entire message content, including phrasing and formatting, was copied verbatim.
• The leak was also reposted by 1******g on BreachForums and later mirrored on DarkForums.

Assessment:

The Interpol dump is not original and represents a clear case of leak impersonation. Nayanika’s post misleadingly framed it as a new breach, likely to manufacture credibility on DarkForums.

Actor Infrastructure

Hosting Platforms Used:

• J*********.*t – Nayanika used this platform to host the Apple ID credentials. J********.*t is frequently used by novice actors due to its ease of access and lack of moderation, allowing for unencrypted, raw credential dumps to be viewed by anyone. No URL shortening or protective wrapping was used.
• C******.**e – The INTERPOL leak was hosted on C******, a free anonymous file hosting platform. Interestingly, the exact same C****** URL had been used by another actor (1*****g) five months earlier, raising flags regarding its originality. There is no evidence Nayanika reuploaded the file, it appears they simply reused the existing URL, implying very limited control over the data.

Forum Usage:

• Nayanika operated exclusively on DarkForums. There were no matching aliases or behavioral overlaps found on DemonForums, BreachForums, or illicit marketplaces. This presence suggests either a newly created persona or an intentionally short-lived account setup for visibility farming.

Telegram Presence:

• StealthMole’s darkweb tracker found a Telegram handle @A*******z linked to DarkForums’ INTERPOL post made by Nayanika. However, the Telegram tracker tool found no records of this handle in any underground groups, ransomware communication channels, stealer bot control clusters, or credential-sharing groups.
• There were also no prior interactions associated with this handle in dump-related chatter.

Additional Indicators:

• The actor did not use mirrors, encryption, onion services, password protection, or signature-based verifications. This points to a very low degree of operational security and no evidence of campaign planning or botnet deployment.
• There is no record of tooling, automation, or even interaction with known log delivery services, common among more sophisticated operators.

Nayanika’s infrastructure footprint is narrow, shallow, and unsophisticated. The reliance on open-access, third-party platforms and the recycling of someone else’s hosting link further supports the conclusion that this actor is opportunistic, inexperienced, and not part of any organized or persistent operation.

👤 Actor Identity and Behavior

Attribute	Nayanika	1*****g
Forum Presence	DarkForums only	DemonForums, BreachForums, DarkForums
Leak Volume	2 posts	Multiple institutional breaches
Known Alias Reuse	No	Yes, consistent name across forums
Telegram	@A******z	Not shared
Leak Style	Flashy, high-emoji, short-lived	Minimalist, frequent, accurate

Nayanika’s overall behavior, posting a real leak followed by a false major claim, strongly aligns with underground reputation-building strategies. This is typical of low-tier actors who seek rapid entry into mid-tier stealer log channels or black market platforms.

Conclusion

Nayanika’s sudden emergence on DarkForums, combined with the timing and sequencing of their two leak posts, paints a clear picture of a threat actor attempting to fast-track underground credibility. While the Apple credential leak shared on 17 July 2025 appears to be an original, small-scale exposure — likely obtained through independent credential cracking or stealer logs, the INTERPOL database leak posted the following day was a blatant case of impersonation.

Through StealthMole’s attribution tools, the INTERPOL file was definitively traced back to a much earlier breach by 1*****g, a long-standing and verifiably active actor. Nayanika reused not only the data but the exact download link and textual content, with no modifications, indicating an attempt to rebrand old material as newly compromised data.

This behavior reflects a common tactic among low-tier actors: deliver one verifiable leak to establish legitimacy, then amplify reach by falsely associating with high-profile breaches. The absence of secure hosting, no encryption, minimal OPSEC, and isolated forum presence further confirms that Nayanika lacks technical depth or long-term operational strategy.

Nayanika is most likely a superficial and opportunistic actor employing copy-paste tactics for quick recognition. While not currently tied to major threat campaigns, actors like Nayanika can cause disinformation ripples and mislead underground communities, making continued monitoring prudent.

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