Data leakage: The scammers' secret weapon (and how to avoid them).

Key Takeaways
 

1. Data Breaches as a Growing Threat: The article highlights the alarming increase in data breaches, exposing millions of personal information worldwide, and setting a new record in 2023.

2. Scammers' Exploitation Techniques: It delves into the various methods employed by cybercriminals, including phishing, malware, social engineering, and identity theft, to exploit leaked data for fraudulent purposes.

3. Impact on Individuals and Organizations: The significant consequences of data leaks are outlined, affecting not just personal security but also posing financial and reputational risks to businesses.

4. Didit's Biometric Solution: Offers a comprehensive overview of how Didit's innovative biometric technology and NFC can combat identity theft and ensure secure interactions between people and organizations, marking a pivotal step towards a safer digital environment.
 

Imagine one day you receive an email from your bank alerting you to a suspicious login attempt on your account. Peace of mind turns into fear and confusion. What could have happened? Have I been robbed? What will happen now?

Data breaches are an increasingly present reality. In 2023, the record for data leaked in history was broken, exposing the personal information of millions of people worldwide on the internet.

And, of course, scammers take just seconds to take advantage of these leaks: they use this stolen information for nefarious purposes, such as identity theft, account takeover fraud, or launching phishing and malware attacks.

You're just a few steps away from learning how data breaches have become the secret weapon of cybercriminals, and how Didit, our technology, helps both individuals and organizations humanize the way they interact, making them healthier, safer, and free from breaches.

The Most Common Methods Used by Scammers

Cybercriminals never rest and are experts at exploiting any small gap to infiltrate any service and steal personal and financial information. Among their arsenal, a wide array of methods used to deceive people and obtain their data.

But, what are the most commonly used techniques by scammers?

Phishing is undoubtedly the most well-known. It involves sending emails or text messages (SMS) pretending to be legitimate companies, usually banks, credit companies (or in the Web3 world, potential Airdrops), trying to trick you. These messages often contain a link that takes you to a site almost identical to the original, but obviously fake, and ask you to include personal information, such as usernames, passwords, or other security keys. At this moment, you've unlocked the door for criminals to roam freely through your account.

Installing malware is another way to steal personal information. Malware is a code that sneaks into your computer, laptop, or mobile device without you noticing, stealing your personal information, such as passwords, bank account numbers, or credit card data.

Social engineering involves manipulating the interlocutor to give up their personal information. It's common, for example, to receive phone calls from someone pretending to be representatives of our bank, or utility services like electricity or gas, and all they want is for you to share that private information.

Identity theft is also rampant. They use personal information, such as names, surnames, photographs, etc., to commit fraud, such as opening bank accounts in the victims' names or making purchases with their credit card.

The Link Between Security Breaches and Fraud

Some of the most significant security breaches have exposed very sensitive personal and data information. Perhaps one of the most notorious was the case of Facebook in 2021, when the data of over 500 million users were laid bare. This information leak included names, phone numbers, locations, emails… a goldmine for criminals.

But far from being an isolated case, the numbers show the opposite, and these incidents are on the rise. According to information collected by the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization in the United States that provides assistance and education to victims of identity crimes, cases skyrocketed in 2023 compared to the previous year by over 18%. Notably, remember that the United States, Russia, and Spain took the podium in terms of data leaks.

With this exposed information, scammers can create false identities using the data stolen or purchased on the dark web, with all the damage that can cause to the victims. The situation can worsen if criminals even find photographs of official documents in this data leak, which would invite them to overcome basic identity controls in the creation of accounts or allow access to them.

The Impact on Individuals and Businesses

The problem of data information leaks affects both individuals and businesses and can have a very large scope. For organizations, a security breach implies a higher risk of fraud, loss of customer trust, and above all, financial and reputational damages, often difficult to quantify.

For individuals, data leaks are a real problem. The threat of identity theft, countless financial losses, and all the headaches (even legal problems, stemming from scams generated with identity theft).

Didit as a Biometric Solution: Humanizing Relationships Between People and Organizations

In this situation, it's crucial for businesses to strive for the highest security measures, while individuals must vigilantly monitor their digital footprint. For example, regularly updating passwords, watching bank statements, and sharing personal information cautiously...

Either way, the leaks highlight the shortcomings of current technology: it's necessary to humanize the internet, creating an identity layer that also redefines interactions between people and organizations. And Didit has arrived to fulfill this goal.

Through its advanced decentralized technology, Didit aims to solve problems such as identity theft, lack of privacy, and security, redefining the way people interact with each other and online entities. It does so thanks to NFC technology, which allows reading the chip of official documents, and advanced biometric developments with artificial intelligence, ensuring the authenticity of the document, that the person presenting it is alive and the rightful owner.

Moreover, thanks to our development, people will be able to use a reusable digital identity and safeguard their information in a single, secure, orderly, and private place, so they can decide what information to share and with whom, keeping their privacy under control.

On the other hand, organizations can find in Didit Business solutions to improve the way they relate to people, always prioritizing their privacy. We revolutionize the interaction between humans and businesses thanks to:
 

• Unified Access. An all-in-one authentication solution that simplifies access to digital services, offering users the freedom to choose between Google, Apple, email, or Web3 to log in.
• Identity Verification (KYC). Provides fast and reliable identity verification, thanks to NFC technology, the most secure on the market.
• Data Transfer. Allows the secure exchange of personal information between users and services for a personalized online experience.
• Payments. Transforms international payments with the best rates and instant transactions thanks to blockchain technology.

Thus, thanks to the decentralized technology of Didit and Didit Business, data leaks and all the problems derived from identity theft, disappear. It's the consequence of making the internet more human and truly centered on people.