- A threat actor sells a huge database on the dark web
- They claim it is picked up from several hotels in Italy
- The country’s digital transformation agency confirmed the violation
A cyber criminal has managed to break into the reservation system used by several hotels in Italy and steal very sensitive information about thousands of guests, experts have warned.
Recently, a threat actor with the alias took mydocs to underground hacking forums to advertise the sale of about 100,000 individual identity documents, including pass scans, ID cards and more, as they claimed to have stolen it from several hotels throughout Italy.
First, the allegations were met with skepticism from the wider cyber security industry, but Italy’s Technical Digital Transformation Agency, Agid, has now confirmed the authenticity of the violation.
Abuse of stolen data
At least ten hotels were hit, with the number that may have risen in the coming weeks, Agid said, suggesting it had “captured” an illegal sale of the documents.
“This data, once stolen, can be used for false purposes: From the creation of fake documents to the opening of bank accounts, up to social engineering and digital identity theft, with consequences for victims who can also be serious, both from an economic and legal point of view,” Agid said in a press release (machine translated).
It is possible that mydocs either inflated the numbers or managed to steal years of value of sensitive data, as some of the compromised hotels have only a few dozen rooms. In any case, an official investigation is now underway.
The hospitality industry, given that it handles very sensitive data, remains among the most targeted out there. Hotels and lodging, restaurants, event planning agencies and tourist companies are frequent victims of ransomware, imitation and data theft.
Victims are encouraged to remain vigilant with inbound communication, especially e emails that claim to come from Italian hotels.
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