Threat actors are always looking for new ways to attack users of technology deployments. A new report mentions that various hacking groups have turned to the dark web to acquire credentials to access broker platforms for malicious purposes.
In exchange for a few dollars, cybercriminals can acquire login credentials for platforms such as E*Trade, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, Robinhood, among others. One highlight in this investigation is the remarkable increase this fraudulent activity has experienced during the pandemic, says Etay Maor, director of security firm Intsights.
Criminals can take usernames and passwords available on dark web and try to use them to access these platforms, although they could also resort to phishing campaigns to steal access credentials directly from users. The Intsights report mentions that this information is available for prices ranging from $3 to $30 USD.
The researcher also highlights that credentials to access accounts from the emerging Robinhood platform can reach higher prices, so his team believes that an attack on these accounts could be more lucrative for criminals.
On the other hand, cybersecurity experts believe that the attractiveness of these accounts lies in the use of social networks by their customers: “The success of this brokerage platform is unprecedentedly disclosed on platforms such as Reddit or Twitter, so it is the users themselves who attract hackers”, considers Richard Bird, director of the firm Ping Identity.
About Robinhood, experts mention that this company has become very popular recently, as it has helped facilitate the introduction of nearly 13 million new investors to the stock market. On average, Robinhood records daily operations of $4.3 million USD, outpersing other consolidated companies on the market.
Malicious activity has also created serious problems for platform operators, who are constantly accused of engaging in fraudulent practices and receive low scores in the AppStore and Play Store. In this regard, a Robinhood spokesperson mentions that the detection of malicious activity on the platform has been confirmed, although these attacks are not the product of a security breach in the company’s systems.
He is a well-known expert in mobile security and malware analysis. He studied Computer Science at NYU and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2003. He is actively working as an anti-malware expert. He also worked for security companies like Kaspersky Lab. His everyday job includes researching about new malware and cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in mobile security and mobile vulnerabilities.
