Personal data of Facebook Marketplace users has reportedly been leaked to a hacking forum. A cybercriminal, IntelBroker, has leaked 200,000 files, which he says contain mobile phone numbers, email and other personal information of users.
According to BleepingComputer, which examined some of this data, the email addresses match the phone numbers.
IntelBroker claims that this partial Facebook Marketplace database was stolen by someone using the Discord handle “algoatson.” The theft occurred after a Meta contractor’s systems were hacked.
See also: Southern Water – data breach: Black Basta ransomware gang leaked data
“In October 2023, a cybercriminal using the Discord username ‘algoatson’ services cloud for Facebook and stole a user database containing 200,000 entries,” IntelBroker said.
In addition to mobile phone numbers and email addresses, the database contains other personally identifiable information (PII), including names, Facebook IDs, and Facebook profile information
Exposed Facebook Marketplace user data can be used by cybercriminals for phishing and smishing attacks and other scams. For this reason, users should be very careful with potentially suspicious messages.
Exposed mobile phone numbers and personal information could also be used for SIM swapping attacks, which allow access to the phone and the theft of other useful information, such as codes used for multi-factor authentication sent via SMS.
IntelBroker has been linked to several other major data breaches in the past. For example, it was linked to the DC Health Link breach, which led to a congressional hearing after the personal data of members and staff of the US House of Representatives was leaked
See also: Halara: Hacker leaked data of 950,000 customers
It has also been linked to the sale of stolen data from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), an alleged breach of General Electric Aviation , and the Weee!
It's worth noting that the new Facebook Marketplace user data leak is not the first incident of this kind that Meta has experienced.
In November 2022, Meta was fined $275.5 million for a breach of Facebook user data by scrapers. In April 2021, data linked to more than 533 million Facebook accounts was leaked.
Although the recent breach occurred through a hack of a Meta contractor's system, users themselves should take steps to protect their data from potential leaks:
🔒 Protect your privacy with Proton VPN
Swiss VPN from the creators of Proton Mail — strict no-logs policy, strong encryption, and built-in NetShield that blocks ads, trackers, & malware.
- ✔ No-logs, based in Switzerland (except 14-Eyes)
- ✔ NetShield: blocks ads, trackers & malicious domains
- ✔ Covers all devices — free version available
The link is an affiliate link — SecNews may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It does not affect the independence of our article writing.
First, users should be careful about the information they share online. This includes avoiding posting sensitive personal information, such as phone numbers, on Facebook Marketplace.
Second, users should stay informed about the latest scam techniques and be wary of receiving suspicious messages or requests. They should avoid clicking on suspicious links and downloading files from untrusted sources.
See also: Kenya Airways: Its data was leaked on the dark web
Third, they should use strong and unique passwords for their accounts. This can help protect accounts from being hacked.
Finally, they should enable two-factor authentication, where available. This provides an extra layer of securityby requiring users to verify their identity with two different methods before they can access their account.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
