Stolen data travels 11 times faster on the dark web than it did six years ago. Shocking, isn’t it? New research by Bitglass has found such shocking statistics that display the evolution of the dark web and stolen data over the years. The firm, in 2015, conducted a data tracking experiment to comprehend how data is viewed and accessed on the dark web.
About the research
Dubbed Project Cumulus, the research thoroughly combed through the dark web for sites where threat actors deal in stolen identities and cloud app user credentials. The researchers discovered a smattering of communities in the dark web, wherein the members shared tactics to access credentials, leverage stolen data, and buy tools to evade detection. Project Cumulus witnessed a high rate of Tor usage and new document downloads from the data experiment. This signifies that threat actors have become conscious about not leaving behind any traces.
Some stats your way
- Breach data received around 13,000 views this year as compared to 1,100 views six years ago - a 1,100% increase.
- While in 2015, it took 12 days to reach that view, it took only 24 hours in 2021.
- Anonymous viewers on the dark web have reached 93%, including 36% for retail and 31% for the U.S. government networks.
Why this matters
Gaining access to retailer networks, especially large ones, is a lucrative business for cybercriminals as they expect greater ransom payouts by deploying ransomware. Likewise, interest in information about government networks is either from independent hackers orr state-sponsored threat groups who can sell the information for huge prices to nation-states.
Threat is closer than it appears in the mirror
The top three threats in the form of the maximum download of stolen data originate from Kenya, the U.S., and Romania. The rising number of data breaches and greater surface area for cybercriminals to monetize the stolen data has incited heightened activity and interest in the dark web. Moreover, the rise in crackdowns on cybercriminals by law enforcement is pushing bad actors to use anonymous VPN services and proxies when accessing breached data.
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