After the confirmation that the social network Facebook was attacked, Account Data 50 Millions of its users are selling themselves on the dark web.
The Independent claims that in underground markets on the dark web, a section of the Internet that can only be accessed with specialized software, offer buyers personal data of Facebook users for as little as 3 Dollars.
If they are exploited by criminals, security experts warn that the data could be used to commit identity theft or blackmail Facebook users with compromising information.
Listings are available on popular dark web marketplace locations like Dream Market, that use a rating system similar to other online retailers like Amazon and eBay to verify their suppliers. Those who sell Facebook credentials seem to be generally trustworthy, suggesting the authenticity of the data.
Hacked accounts are being sold for between $ 3 and $ 12, Although it is only possible to buy them using anonymous digital currencies such as Bitcoin.
If each account were sold at these prices, The value of the data stolen on the black market would be between $ 150 and $ 600 Million.
Personal information is very valuable on the dark web. As long as the stolen data continues at high prices and equips cybercriminals with the means to carry out attacks, Scamming victims, extort or destroy property, Organizations must exhaust all measures to detect and secure their networks, Devices and Users”, said SonicWall cybersecurity firm CEO Bill Conner, who advised the U.S. government USA. and the United Kingdom on security matters.
“What an organization or state can do with large amounts of information about a country's citizens should be taken very seriously”.
A recent report by British firm Money Guru explained how online identities could be sold to companies for targeted advertising purposes.
“There are few better ways to learn about someone's life than to research their social media accounts”, the report states. “Frequently, These details are stolen to sell to unscrupulous companies for targeted advertising. It's also a fast track to identity theft, since they can take control of their accounts, block it and cause serious reputational damage in a short space of time”.
Sale prices show how much value hacked accounts have on the dark web, after Facebook admitted that some accounts may have been lost due to a major flaw in its code.
Facebook could be liable for fines of up to $ 1.63 billion (4% of your annual global revenue) under the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, if the company is deemed not to have done enough to protect the safety of its users.