OkCoin’s Founder, Star Xu’s Data Is on Sale on Dark Web for USD 1

By Swati Kishore

As per reports by a Chinese media company, the personal data of Star Xu, founder of the digital currency exchange OKCoin, has been compromised and is available for sale on the Dark Web.

In another hacking attack, it has been reported that the private data of OkCoin’s founder has bee stolen and put up for sale on the Dark Web. The data is available for about 0.000029 BTC, an amount that equals approximately USD 1.

The private data of Star Xu was discovered in an advertisement on the Dark Web which was made by a user who goes by the pseudonym of ‘darrenchen.’ The malicious attempt by the pseudonymous actor involves the selling of the data which apparently includes not only Star Xu’s personal information but also his personal identification, as well as details of the OKCoin exchange.

It still remains unclear as to whether anyone has purchased the data and has access to Star Xu’s private information. And with nobody coming out with the big reveal, it is quite likely that the malevolent vendor is just trying to earn some Bitcoin by scamming people.

Interestingly, the case of Star Xu’s information floating on the Dark Web is nothing new. In August 2018, a hacker had accessed the personal data of as much as 130 million guests of the Huazhu Hotels Group. He subsequently sold the information for 8 BTC or USD 56,000.

The Dark Web can only be accessed using special software such as the Tor browser. Apart from being used as the medium to sell illegal data, the Dark Web also serves as the platform by malicious actors to sell illicit goods such as weapons and drugs.

As per data obtained from the Blockchain Technology research company Chainalysis, the use of the world’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has seen a rise on the Dark Web. It is interesting to note that Bitcoin still maintains its foothold as the crypto of choice by cybercriminals despite the presence of private coins such as Zcash and Monero.

Chainalyis revealed that transactions in Bitcoin in illegal marketplaces amounted to USD 600 million in 2018.

Swati Kishore

Swati has a keen interest in emerging technologies and she loves to write about them. She loves trance and is also interested in the philosophy of life.

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