200,000 Facebook Marketplace User Records were Leaked on the Dark Web

In a startling revelation, a dark web forum has become the stage for a massive data breach impacting countless Facebook Marketplace users. Reports from BleepingComputer highlight the perilous situation, with personal information of over 200,000 individuals surfacing on the clandestine platform. The compromised data, comprising names, phone numbers, email addresses, Facebook IDs, and profile details, poses severe risks ranging from phishing attempts to identity theft.

The breach traces back to a breach orchestrated by a threat actor known as “algoatson” on Discord, targeting a Meta contractor’s cloud services last year. IntelBroker, a notorious data leaker, unveiled this trove of sensitive information, echoing past breaches from giants like DC Health Link and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

This treasure trove for hackers amplifies concerns for both personal and corporate security. With intimate knowledge of individuals’ lives, cybercriminals can orchestrate convincing phishing attacks, infiltrate devices, and siphon off funds or cryptocurrencies. Moreover, businesses face heightened threats, including malware deployments and devastating Business Email Compromise (BEC) assaults.

While affected individuals await Meta’s formal response, memories of past Facebook data breaches resurface. The 2022 incident involving 533 million users’ data and subsequent fines of €265 million underscore the recurring vulnerabilities plaguing the social media behemoth. From Cambridge Analytica to scraping activities in 2019, Facebook’s data security lapses remain a contentious issue.

Amidst this turmoil, proactive measures are imperative to safeguard against potential fallout. Facebook users are advised to fortify their accounts by promptly changing passwords and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). Additionally, heightened vigilance against suspicious communications is paramount to thwarting phishing attempts fueled by compromised data.