A new report warns that personal data used in cybercrime is increasingly being sourced from legal data broker websites rather than only from illegal underground markets. The report says many data brokers collect information that is available through public or commercially accessible channels, then compile and sell it to other businesses. While the transactions can be legal, the report argues that the resulting datasets can still be used by criminals. It claims hackers use these sources as intelligence for targeted scams and fraud, potentially enabling attacks that steal money from individuals. The report also contrasts the traditional view that cybercriminals mainly rely on the dark web with a more recent pattern: gaining actionable information through mainstream, sanctioned data brokerage services. Overall, the report highlights the risks of large-scale personal data trading, noting that legal supply chains can still feed cybercrime when data is reused beyond its original context. The report calls for greater attention to how personal data is collected, shared, and accessed across the data brokerage ecosystem.
Report warns data brokers sell personal data, which hackers may use for scams
A new report warns that personal data used in cybercrime is increasingly being sourced from legal data broker websites rather than only from illegal underground markets. The report says many data brok...
- A report says data broker websites increasingly provide intelligence for hackers.
- Data brokers collect personal information and sell it to other businesses.
- The report describes many transactions as legal, despite potential misuse.
- Criminals may use brokered data to support scams and fraud.
- The report suggests the dark web is not the only major source of cybercriminal intelligence.
The most significant intelligence source for hackers was no longer the dark web but legal data broking websites, which collect and sell the public's data to sell on to other businesses.
2 months agoThe most significant intelligence source for hackers was no longer the dark web but legal data broking websites, which collect and sell the public's data to sell on to other businesses.
2 months ago
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