New Underground Marketplace Sells Stolen Corporate Secrets

Cybercriminals have launched a new underground marketplace called Industrial Spy, where data stolen from hacked companies is being sold. Some of the data on Industrial Spy is also available for free to users.

While hacker forums of this kind are not new, Industrial Spy sets itself apart by positioning itself as a marketplace where companies can purchase data belonging to their competitors. This includes trade secrets, manufacturing blueprints, financial reports, and customer databases. Unlike traditional ransomware groups that demand payment from companies under threat of data leaks, Industrial Spy focuses on selling the stolen information directly.

The marketplace offers various data packages. “Premium” packages are priced in the millions of dollars, while the cheapest options are individual files for as little as $2. For example, a current “Premium” listing offers data from an Indian company for $1.4 million. However, many data sets can also be purchased as individual files.

Additionally, Industrial Spy provides free data packages, likely as a way to attract new customers.

Some companies whose data appears in the “General” category have previously been victims of ransomware attacks. This suggests that the criminals may have downloaded these files from leak sites run by ransomware groups, with the intention of reselling them through Industrial Spy.