A report by cybersecurity agency Privacy Affairs notes that on the darknet, verified accounts on cryptocurrency exchanges are worth an average of $800, while data stolen from companies like Visa, Mastercard, Google, Microsoft, and even agencies like NASA, are sold for between $1 and $6.500.
The darknet market is the ideal place for cybercriminals and malicious actors to buy and sell all kinds of illegal products, including data stolen from different companies and organizations.
2020, as explained by the security firm Privacy Affairs, qualifies as one of the years with the most attacks and security exploits to companies and organizations cryptocurrencies, , as well as technology companies, and even government agencies. In its most recent report qualified “Dark Web Price Index 2021”The company explains that the trading of stolen data is growing in dark markets; an illegal activity that has become highly profitable following the global expansion of COVID-19.
The data of millions of people around the world, and hacked services, are traded on the darknet for different values, depending on how useful cybercriminals and malicious actors see them.
According to the report, prices can range from $1 for 1.000 plays on the Soundcloud platform to be promoted unethically, to $6.500 for a fake passport from the Republic of Malta. Passports from the European Union, IDs from various US cities, driver's licenses and social security numbers, Netflix, FedEx, Uber, Western Union, Twitter, Facebook accounts, cloned credit cards, stolen PayPal account balances, and many other things are sold on the dark web.
In the case of data and information related to the world of cryptocurrencies, cybercriminals make various verified accounts available to malicious actors. exchanges and the industry's most popular cryptocurrency exchanges.
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Cryptocurrency accounts, among the most valued
In its report, Privacy Affairs explains that verified user accounts on cryptocurrency exchanges are among the most valuable on the dark market, with an average price of $800.
The security firm describes that the high price of these hacked accounts is related to the growth in the value of cryptocurrencies and digital assets in the markets, and the high demand for these assets by millions of people around the world.
Source: Privacy Affairs
Company analysts point out that demand for such products is also growing exponentially, as exchange accounts combined with the arrival of more and more ATMs Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies around the world, making it easy to withdraw cash anonymously, from almost anywhere.
Additionally, many of the hacked accounts may contain large amounts of cryptocurrency stored on them, which cybercriminals and malicious actors will find easy to extract if they are “protected” by ineffective security measures.
Data, the most valuable market in the world
Privacy Affairs says data has become the most valuable market in the world, with billions of people accessing social media, creating profiles, opening bank accounts, cryptocurrency accounts, and more.
“Companies like Facebook and Google track you to sell highly personalized advertising space to the highest bidder.”
The control that governments and large corporations exercise over us, as citizens, has turned data into a multi-billion dollar industry, which benefits a privileged few.
Companies like Google and Facebook trade our data on a daily basis with different companies, seeking financial gain for themselves. Despite this, they have little concern for keeping our private information safe and secure, which gives cybercriminals the opportunity to take advantage of the vulnerabilities present in these platforms to access our personal data and then trade it on the dark web.
Recently, Bit2Me News reported that cryptocurrency platforms Facebook y LinkedIn were victims of security exploits, which leaked personal information of more than 1.000 billion users of these networks. Those affected may begin to be the target of phishing attacks, social engineering, and even become involved in cases of fraud or other crimes, depending on how malicious actors use their information.
For all these reasons, the security company emphasizes that users change their passwords constantly, and that they take sophisticated and strict security measures to protect their data. Privacy Affairs concludes that the growth rate of cyberattacks on digital platforms of companies and organizations is growing at an alarming rate.
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