Facebook login credentials are being sold on the dark web for less than $4.00, a new report says.
An investigation by financial website Money Guru states that Facebook usernames and passwords are available for as little as $3.90 on several prominent dark net markets.
“Your data, which can include everything from banking details to social media logins, is worth less than you might think to hackers and scammers,” the company said.
Alongside Facebook data, login information for some of the web’s most popular social media sites is also widely available.
Reddit credentials sold on average for $2.09 while those for Instagram sold for around $6.30.
Login data for other services including Hotmail, Gmail, Netflix and Uber are also listed.
Money Guru estimated that one could “purchase the majority of someone’s online life,” assuming their data has been compromised, for around $970.
Speaking with the Metro, Money Guru’s James MacDonald described the widespread proliferation of stolen data as “shocking.”
“Our research into personal data and how much it’s actually worth on the black market is shocking to say the least,” MacDonald said. “This just goes to show how vital it is to protect your data where possible to avoid facing costly consequences.”
While the dark net markets mentioned in the report – Dream, Wall St and Berlusconi – are well known to sell such data, concerns have reemerged in light of the recent Facebook hack affecting 50 million users.
The hackers were able to obtain access tokens, which allow users to remain logged in while using Facebook, that could enable them to log in to profiles and any linked apps.
Facebook said Tuesday that it has seen no evidence the hackers used the digital tokens to access third party apps.
A class-action lawsuit accusing the company of negligence has since been filed by two California residents.
No evidence thus far, however, suggests that the Facebook data being sold online is linked to the recent hack.
Money Guru’s report also did not mention whether attempts were made to verify the validity of the data, as some sellers are known to offer either outdated or fraudulent credentials.
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