Dark web dangers

Kids’ data stolen and sold

CHILDREN’S data, including email addresses, phone numbers and passwords, is being sold online after being stolen from gaming websites such as Fortnite and Minecraft.

Cyber-criminals are selling “data sets” of children’s personal information for as little as $15 on the dark web — a hidden part of the internet known for illegal activity.

Law Enforcement and Cyber Security Minister Angus Taylor is planning laws to crack down on criminals using gaming applications to exploit children.

Datasets advertised online included passwords and email addresses for gaming accounts and phone numbers obtained from social media site Snapchat.

Security in Depth chief executive Michael Connory, who has provided cyber security advice to the Government, said the sale of children’s data online was a growing trend.

“We’ve found over the past 18 months the number of children’s IDs being advertised for sale has grown substantially,” Mr Connory said.

“The advantage to having children’s ID is that it’s far more usable for someone to perpetrate long-term identity theft. It’s unlikely a child will look at their credit history, or if they’re applying for loans or setting up bank accounts.”

He said there were also fears paedophiles could use the data for grooming purposes.

Cyber safety expert Ross Bark said criminals could use a child’s username and password for a gaming site to extract more data, including phone numbers, credit card details, birthdates and home address.

“Websites like Fortnite ask users to hand over a lot of personal information, which is very valuable to criminals,” Mr Bark said.

Monash University research used AI technology to scan 200,000 pages of the dark web and found more than two thirds of the activity was classified as illegal and unethical.