Learning accounts were particularly concentrated in the Nemesis darknet market (43% of all such listings) but a good number were also to be found in the Kerberos (25%) and Kingdom (19%) darknet markets. For context, only 4 of the 15 markets we found to be selling stolen account details were Russian and one of those did not have any VPN credentials for sale at the time of our study. Two Russian streaming platforms, IVI and Amediateka, were among the top 5 most frequently-listed services, due to their significant presence in the Russian-language markets.
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Learn how to automate financial risk reports using AI and news data with this guide for product managers, featuring tools from Webz.io and OpenAI. Established in 2022, Torzon market is one of the biggest and most diverse marketplaces on the dark web. It is considered very secure thanks to strict user validations and transparent payment and vendor review procedures. Its focus on financial fraud and high-value transactions has attracted a dedicated user base, contributing to its growing reputation and market value.
- This means that even if a threat actor gained access to stolen login user details, he won’t necessarily manage to take over the account as it requires another step.
- Our price index grew with the addition of nine payment processing services.
- Kraken, Nemesis and Kingdom markets were home to the most stolen VPN credentials, with 60% of all such listings found on these three sites.
- Stolen credit and debit card data, along with bank and online payment account details, have long been the most popular items for sale on the darknet markets.
A Look Into The Pricing Of Stolen Identities For Sale On Dark Web
Like every cyberattack, launching credential stuffing attacks has its own challenges. This identity and access management security method, which is known to many of us, requires two forms of identification to access platforms and data. In the case of PayPal, the first identification would be the login details and the second one could be a text message or an email. This means that even if a threat actor gained access to stolen login user details, he won’t necessarily manage to take over the account as it requires another step. Our research show that payment and travel accounts continue to be the most lucrative in the darknet market trade of hacked credentials.
Koodo Mobile’s Data Breach Notification: Customer Accounts And Data Sold On Dark Web
If your social media accounts are no longer important to you, you should delete them. Each time we update the Index, our team of security experts analyzes tens of thousands of listings across the most popular dark web markets at the time, looking for such accounts. The Darknet Market Price Index has been tracking the trade in hacked online accounts since 2018. Access all our research in one place, learn about common scams and find advice on how to protect yourself from identity theft. According to the researchers, the Dark Web is “awash” with stolen information. Major brands including MasterCard, Visa, and American Express are common, and stolen data belonging to individuals surfaces from a variety of countries.

The following table shows which categories of hacked account credentials were most popular on the darknet markets. Number of listings refers to the total number of accounts identified, regardless of whether they are listed separately or together. In our most comprehensive analysis of the darknet yet, we investigated 15 markets to determine which stolen online account credentials were the most popular with cybercriminals. For the first time, our research also includes data from all Russian darknet markets that sell hacked account details.

Behind The PayPal Breach: Credential Stuffing On The Dark Web
While AlphaBay, a formerly major site that was shut down in 2017,2 has been resurrected, there are now 14 other completely new darknet markets where hacked account details are bought and sold. That number includes 4 Russian markets that sell this type of personal data. For this latest report, we have switched our primary focus from the average pricing of hacked accounts on the darknet markets to investigating which stolen log-ins were most frequently listed for sale. Unlike PayPal accounts, hacked credit cards have seen a significant decline in value. While cybercriminals previously paid 0.42 cents per dollar on the card, they now pay 0.33 cents per dollar. MasterCard was the most valuable of all cards assessed, 6.47 cents per dollar.
Common Scams On Dark Web Marketplaces

Amber Bouman is the senior security editor at Tom’s Guide where she writes about antivirus software, home security, identity theft and more. She has long had an interest in personal security, both online and off, and also has an appreciation for martial arts and edged weapons. With over two decades of experience working in tech journalism, Amber has written for a number of publications including PC World, Maximum PC, Tech Hive, and Engadget covering everything from smartphones to smart breast pumps. That merchant specifically mentioned that using a stolen card on a store that uses Verified by Visa (VBV) will likely void the card. Verified by Visa is a service that prompts the cardholder for a one-time password whenever their card is used at participating stores.
Therefore, the probability of being hacked is unpredictable but on the rise unless you take measures to protect yourself. Install anti-virus or other anti-malware software on your personal computer to scan for malware. This applies even when the information is needed for critical procedures, such as registering for Social Security or obtaining a new driver’s license.
New Payment Processing Services
By adopting a few straightforward rules and habits, you can make it more difficult for hackers to access your data and remove yourself from their line of sight. While these guidelines may appear complex and bothersome initially, they will become second nature once you become accustomed to them. This is when you will develop a crucial sense of cybersecurity both online and in everyday life. Malware can compromise systems running on various operating systems, including Microsoft Windows and Android.
This is achieved by overwhelming the targeted website’s server with thousands of connection requests, causing it to crash. The table below displays items according to their price, country of origin, and quality indicators. Fake money (mostly in 20- and 50-USD bills) is a very common and easy-to-find item.

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Apart from the dark web markets that are operating online today, some raided platforms influenced many markets. Some are looking for illegal stuff they can’t buy elsewhere, like drugs or counterfeit documents. The story of dark web marketplaces kicks off with Silk Road, launched in 2011.

Physical Security And Safety: A Field Guide For The Practitioner
In this case, the bot is customized to bypass PayPal’s 2FA in order to get access to the victim’s account. This post is what we call an early indicator, as it was posted in October 2022, only 3 months before the PayPal breach. The bypass method explained in the post can support future credential stuffing, enabling cybercriminals to use this bot to implement future credential stuffing. According to the threat actor, he obtained a few account PayPal login details but was unable to gain final access due to the two-factor authentication and OTP (one-time password) verification that PayPal uses. Leaked login details can enable identity theft and financial fraud long after the original compromise. As an expert in cybersecurity and dark web activities, I’ve extensively researched and analyzed the intricate details of online criminal activities, particularly in the realm of stolen information trade on the dark web.
It was the first big site where people could anonymously buy drugs using Bitcoin, and it gained a lot of attention, until it was shut down by the FBI in 2013. Four of the five most popular brands in this category were conventional cryptocurrency exchanges, with only Paxful standing out as a peer-to-peer platform. Hacked VPN log-ins were disproportionately popular on Russian markets, which accounted for 43% of all VPN listings. Kraken, Nemesis and Kingdom markets were home to the most stolen VPN credentials, with 60% of all such listings found on these three sites. Hacked VPN accounts are very popular with cybercriminals as they can be used as “burner” VPNs with no formal connection to their new users. Streaming was much less concentrated than other categories we analyzed, with the 20 most frequently-listed services accounting for almost 60% of all listings.
Russian Darknet Markets
Most stolen card details end up on the dark web marketplace for a quick profit, and this can happen before you even know about it. In addition to PayPal account balances, they can also transfer money from any connected bank accounts or credit cards. On top of all that, they could make purchases or request money from contacts listed in the PayPal account. Hijacking a PayPal account requires a different approach than stealing a credit card number. Instead of card numbers and CVVs, criminals steal usernames and passwords that they’ve gathered either through phishing or malware. They can then sell the account credentials to a buyer who can log in and drains the funds, or the vendor can transfer the requested amount of money from the victim’s account to the buyer’s account.