"Stolen Data of 3,000 Irish People Sold on Bot Markets, Study Claims"
According to the cybersecurity firm NordVPN, at least 5 million people worldwide have had their online data stolen and sold on "bot markets." About 3,000 of those affected are from Ireland, while nearly 46,000 are from the UK. Bot markets are online marketplaces where hackers sell data stolen from their victims' devices via malware. According to NordVPN, data is typically sold in packets that include passwords, cookies, digital fingerprints, and other information that can help set up a digital identity. Bot markets differ from other dark web markets in that they collect large amounts of data about a single person in one location. In addition, they guarantee the buyer that the victim's information will be updated as long as the bot infects their device. NordVPN examined three major bot markets accessible via the surface web, compiling data with the assistance of third-party researchers. Cookies and login information were among the most common types of data sold on these markets. Researchers discovered 667 million stolen cookies, 87,000 digital fingerprints, 538,000 auto-fill forms, and 26.6 million logins for sale on the markets examined. There were 720,000 logins from Google accounts, 654,000 from Microsoft accounts, and 647,000 from Facebook. Hackers were also discovered taking screenshots from malware-infected devices. The most common types of data-stealing malware are RedLine, Vidar, Racoon, Taurus, and AZORult. Screen resolution, device information, browser preferences, and other information that makes a user unique are all part of a person's digital fingerprint. Hackers can use this information to make themselves appear legitimate. These bot markets provide a variety of ways to exploit a victim's data, such as connecting to someone's Facebook account and sending malicious content to other users. More sophisticated criminals purchase this information in order to target businesses with phishing attacks by impersonating employees. This article continues to discuss NordVPN's latest report on bot markets.
Silicon Republic reports "Stolen Data of 3,000 Irish People Sold on Bot Markets, Study Claims"