Your data is very valuable!

In its latest report, Europol describes how the theft and trade of personal data has developed into a highly professional criminal industry. Data has become a currency in its own right in the cybercrime ecosystem. Cybercriminals are tapping into access data, passwords, authenticated sessions, and sensitive personal information on a large scale and selling it via coordinated platforms. This trade fuels all kinds of activities – from fraud, extortion, and identity theft to cyberattacks and the distribution of child pornography.

A key finding is that specialized actors such as “initial access brokers” obtain access to hacked systems and resell it. There is a division of labor in this market: one breaks in, the next sells, and another uses the data for attacks. Infostealer malware secretly collects passwords, browser data, cookies, and more to offer them on darknet marketplaces. Botnets and malware droppers automate the distribution of this malware, enabling large-scale, coordinated waves of attacks.

The report highlights that attacks on supply chains are on the rise: Criminals specifically target software manufacturers or service providers in order to use these backdoors to infiltrate large companies or public institutions. In doing so, they are increasingly relying on zero-day exploits and sophisticated social engineering techniques.

Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role: it helps to personalize phishing messages, automatically generate content, and accelerate fraud and malware distribution.

Europol warns that this structured data trade poses a significant threat to society, the economy, and democratic processes. The report calls for increased EU cooperation—both in law enforcement, access to encrypted data, and data retention. In addition, it recommends expanding digital education and awareness at an early age to counteract the wave of criminal data economy in the long term.

Heise reported on this: https://www.heise.de/news/Europol-Datendiebstahl-ist-Big-Business-und-eine-erhebliche-Bedrohung-10440828.html

Here is the Europol report on which our summary is based: https://www.europol.europa.eu/cms/sites/default/files/documents/Steal-deal-repeat-IOCTA_2025.pdf