“Russian hacker gang” has accumulated the world’s largest database of stolen passwords – CNews.ru

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American company specializing in information security, opened grouping Russian hackers, has the largest database in the world of stolen usernames and passwords. They belong to the data from more than one billion accounts. In addition, the group has more than 500 million e-mail addresses, reports The New York Times.

stolen data hackers use to send spam by charging customers a fee for this service. Facts selling stolen information experts have not identified.

accounts were stolen from 420 thousand web sites, including companies that are on everyone’s lips. “Hackers stole data from any site where there was such an opportunity – from resource companies in the Fortune 500 to small portals” – said the founder and director of the Information Security Hold Security Alex Holden (Alex Holden).

Group operates from a small town in the southern part of Russia, located near the border with Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Servers that they use in their activities, are located in Russia, says Holden.

Responsibilities groups are: some are engaged in programming, others – directly carrying out attacks. “The group is like a small company, every employee who earns a living,” – said the expert.

According to Holden, the group started its operations in 2011 by acquiring a database with personal data on the black market. In April 2014, the group became more active. Analysts suggest that the hackers have teamed up with some unknown to him or another team bought the methods and tools for hacking sites.

Stolen accounts Russian hackers use to send spam

In my work group uses botnets – a network of infected “zombie computers” . These are computers that execute remote commands and used by hackers to gain, along with hundreds or thousands of other such systems. However, users remain unaware, not knowing that their computer is operated by someone else.

botnets Application allows to collect data on a large scale. By the end of July 2014 Hold Security analyzed over 4.5 billion stolen by hackers accounts, but it turned out that most of them are repeated. Sort, experts identified logins and passwords from 1.2 billion unique accounts.

Hold Security does not disclose the names of the victims, as it is against the rules of its services. However, the article mentioned NYT Twitter, as one of the networks through which hackers spamming.

Holden reported that the number of victims included not only American, but Russian companies. He added that most of the hacked sites still contain vulnerabilities that allow attackers. The report also featured analyst phrase that, in his opinion, the hackers have no ties with the Russian government.

Hold Security specializes in finding the stolen information. Last year, Hold Security reported the detection of the data base of tens of millions of accounts belonging to users of Adobe Systems. In early 2013, the company also found more than 300 million accounts belonging to various companies and hackers put up for sale.

According to a study Ponemon Institute and IBM, the average value of damage from hacker attacks in 2014 was $ 3.5 million compared to last year, this value increased by 15%.