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The internet has transformed our lives in countless ways, offering convenience, connectivity, and access to information at our fingertips. However, with every positive aspect, there is also a dark underbelly lurking just beneath the surface. One such example is the world of darknet carding sites, where illicit transactions and illegal activities take place unnoticed by the general public.
In August 2016, the pocket PC fan site forum PPCGeeks suffered a data breach that exposed over 490k records. The breach of the vBulletin forum exposed email and IP addresses, usernames, dates of birth and passwords stored as salted MD5 hashes. In January 2023, the UK-based ice skating rink booking service Planet Ice suffered a data breach. The incident exposed the personal data of 240k people including email and physical addresses, phone numbers, genders, dates of birth and passwords stored as MD5 hashes. The data also included the names, genders and dates of birth of children having parties.
What are Darknet Carding Sites?
Darknet carding sites refer to online platforms that facilitate the sale and purchase of stolen credit card information, known as “carding.” These sites operate within the dark web, a hidden part of the internet that can only be accessed using specific software or configurations designed to preserve anonymity.
Carding involves obtaining sensitive payment card details, such as credit card numbers, CVV codes, expiration dates, and cardholder names, through various cybercrime techniques like phishing, skimming, or hacking. Once acquired, these details are either directly used for fraudulent purchases or sold on darknet carding sites to interested buyers.
Understanding the Mechanics of Darknet Carding Sites
Darknet carding sites function much like regular e-commerce platforms, albeit with a significant twist. Sellers create listings for the stolen credit card data they possess, providing detailed descriptions and often even offering additional services like money laundering or shipping assistance to enhance their offerings.
Thousands of Dark Web sites deleted in attack on free hosting service
Buyers browse the available listings, looking for cards that match their desired criteria, such as card type, country of origin, or credit limit. Transactions are typically conducted using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to preserve anonymity and evade detection by law enforcement agencies.
The allure of these darknet carding sites lies in the promise of easy access to valuable and often high-limit credit card information at a fraction of its actual worth. However, the consequences can be severe for both buyers and sellers if caught engaging in these illegal activities.
The Top 5 deep and dark web credit card sites
The Legal Ramifications
Engaging in carding activities on darknet sites is a criminal offense in most jurisdictions around the world. Law enforcement agencies actively monitor these platforms, infiltrating or shutting them down whenever possible. Individuals involved in carding may face charges related to identity theft, fraud, or conspiracy, which can lead to lengthy prison sentences and substantial fines.
The posts run under different sections relating to cracking, hacking and coding, leaks, stolen and fake money, and marketplaces of illicit products such as malwares and vulnerabilities for sale. Hacking forums are typically used by new and professional hackers, as well as professional hacking and ransomware groups. It is for this reason that law enforcement and security agencies monitor these spaces to gain insightful information to investigate and prevent cybercrime. The upcoming tax-season is another market for opportunistic fraudsters who have obtained sensitive PII from the darknet. Some fraudsters with access to SSNs and fullz data, will file taxes ahead of the victim and steal the refund payment from the government.
The Ongoing Battle against Darknet Carding Sites
The dark web isn’t one single website, and it’s not typically accessible to users via the surface web. Instead, the dark web consists of a network of underground marketplaces, forums, and encrypted chat channels. Cybercriminal forums are awash with users advertising and requesting the services of developers to design fresh new malware. Developers may be recruited to work in-house, with a monthly salary and other benefits, or they may be contracted ad hoc, with a one-time payment upon completion of commissioned work. The site was created and designed for the purpose of sharing information about exploits, zero-day vulnerabilities, malware, and network penetration. The main content that it hosts includes malware exploits, vulnerabilities, carding, access sales, and credential databases.
Despite law enforcement efforts to crack down on darknet carding sites, new platforms continue to emerge, utilizing ever-evolving techniques to maintain their anonymity and evade detection. The cat-and-mouse game between criminals and authorities intensifies as each side adapts and innovates to gain an advantage.
The data was provided to HIBP by a source who requested it be attributed to “Aegis” and “IntelBroker”. In March 2020, the photo print service Chatbooks suffered a data breach which was subsequently put up for sale on a dark web marketplace. The breach contained 15 million user records with 2.5 million unique email addresses alongside names, phone numbers, social media profiles and salted SHA-512 password hashes.
To combat this growing problem, cooperation between international law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity experts, and financial institutions is crucial. Collaboration in sharing intelligence, developing advanced fraud detection systems, and implementing stricter regulations helps create a hostile environment for carders and deters potential participants from entering the illicit market.
Lifeboat knew of the incident for three months before the breach was made public but elected not to advise customers. The leaked data included usernames, email addresses and passwords stored as straight MD5 hashes. In January 2022, the now defunct uncensored video website Leaked Reality suffered a data breach that exposed 115k unique email addresses. The data also included usernames, IP addresses and passwords stored as either MD5 or phpass hashes. In March 2012, the music website Last.fm was hacked and 43 million user accounts were exposed. Whilst Last.fm knew of an incident back in 2012, the scale of the hack was not known until the data was released publicly in September 2016.
Protecting Yourself Against Darknet Carding
In today’s interconnected world, it is vital to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect yourself from falling victim to darknet carding schemes. Some key steps you can take include:
- Regularly monitor your financial statements: Keep a close eye on your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions.
- Use secure payment methods: When making online purchases, opt for trusted payment gateways that offer buyer protection.
- Be cautious with sharing personal information: Be selective and only provide your payment card details to reputable and secure websites.
- Stay informed: Educate yourself about the latest phishing techniques, scams, and security practices to better protect yourself from potential threats.
By staying proactive and vigilant, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to darknet carding schemes and help create a safer online ecosystem for everyone.
Remember, while the lure of easy money through darknet carding sites may be enticing, the consequences far outweigh any potential gains. Engaging in illegal activities not only jeopardizes your freedom and financial well-being but also perpetuates a cycle of harm and criminality.
