Trend Micro today released a new report exploring the thriving black market for stolen personal and professional data. By analyzing the 16 most active variants of infostealer malware on two dark web markets (Russian Market and 2easy.shop), Trend Micro researchers have created a unique risk matrix.

The report focuses on measuring how “at risk” stolen data is when it falls into the hands of cybercriminals or fraudsters

Crypto wallets and website data share the top spot, as it is the type of data that generates the most revenue and is also the easiest to find on secret websites.

Wi-Fi credentials and desktop screenshots are less profitable and harder to sell, placing them in a less risky category. In the middle are more specialized authentication types, such as those for FTP and VPN services.

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When it comes to stolen website data, Google.com dominates the top spot in volume, followed by Live.com, Facebook, and Instagram.

Jean Diarbakerli, security advisor at Trend Micro, emphasizes the importance of treating crypto assets like cash and storing them in digital vaults. When it comes to web data, cybercriminals can exploit it with devastating consequences. The report empowers users and organizations to better prioritize their defensive measures by understanding which data is most critical.

Infostealers pose a growing danger due to the high value of stolen data among cybercriminals, which is then sold to other threat actors.

Common ways to monetize stolen user data include:

• Emptying cryptocurrency wallets.
• Utilization of user authentication for e-commerce transactions and banking sites.
• Attacking victims' contacts, for example through “stranded traveler” scams.
• Infecting the user's organization via VPN credentials for lateral attacks.

Despite the large number of infostealer variants, Trend Micro found that only a few of them have a significant presence in dark web data markets. This means that organizations should focus and prioritize their defensive measures on the most popular infostealers on the dark web, which pose the greatest risk.

Take part in the report Your Stolen Data for Sale here.