Cybercriminals Target Credit Card Data: Italy Among Top 20 Most Affected
In 2022, the exchange of compromised credentials, particularly those including credit cards and phone numbers, surged on the dark web. Italy ranks among the 20 most affected countries.
Cybercriminals significantly intensified their focus on credit card data in 2022, often in combination with phone numbers. Credit card details, alongside phone numbers and other personal information, saw a notable increase in circulation on the dark web, according to CRIF's Cyber Observatory.
The report highlights that the trade of stolen personal data on the dark web remained robust. Specifically, combinations of credit card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes appeared more frequently, showing a 10.5% increase. Data including phone numbers and names rose by 4.4%, facilitating unauthorized account access in an era of two-factor authentication.
In 2022, over 1.6 million alerts were issued, with 1.5 million related to the dark web and 106,000 to the open web. While the total number of alerts decreased compared to 2021, CRIF noted an increase in the severity of the data compromised.
Within Italy, 83.7% of alerts sent to users pertained to data found on the dark web. The most commonly compromised data types on the dark web included email addresses, passwords, and phone numbers. These stolen accounts were most frequently linked to entertainment services, such as online gaming and dating platforms, as well as social media accounts.