Hackers sell data of 267 million Facebook users for just Rs 41,500: Report
In a major incident, the hackers have sold personal data of 267 million Facebook users for just Rs 41,500 (approximately 500 Euros), a report said. The data includes email addresses, names, Facebook IDs, dates of birth and phone numbers of the users.
Meanwhile, no passwords of the Facebook users have been exposed by the hacker, according to the cyber risk assessment platform Cyble. The report suggested that the Cyble researchers executed the sale and were able to download and verify the data. The company stated that at this stage, it's not aware of how the data got leaked in the first instance.
A statement quoted by IANS said that "It might be due to a leakage in third-party API (Application Programming Interface) or scrapping." Reportedly, the data contain sensitive details on the users which might be used by the cybercriminals for spamming, it warned.
Last year in December, reports surfaced that a database with names and phone numbers of more than 267 million users was leaked online. According to a blog on the website Comparitech, the database was made available for the download on an online hacker forum.
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At that time, a Facebook spokesperson had said that "we are looking into the issue, but believe this information is likely obtained before the changes we made in the past few years to protect people's information". Afterward, the Cyble researchers recommended the users to tighten their privacy settings on their profiles, and be cautious of unsolicited emails and messages.
-PTC News
