Personal Data: The New Gold in the Criminal Underground
Cybercriminals are no longer just stealing data—they’re running a data-driven black market. Europol’s latest Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) for 2025, titled “Steal, Deal, Repeat,” pulls back the curtain on a booming digital economy where your stolen identity fuels scams, extortion, and organized crime. Cyber threats from ransomware gangs to access brokers, cybercriminals have learned to treat data like a tradable asset.
In the words of Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, “You can’t defend what you don’t understand.” He emphasized that the report aims to expose the mechanics of this criminal ecosystem and help stakeholders take informed action.
Stolen Data Isn’t Just the Target—It’s the Product
The IOCTA 2025 details how personal data serves multiple criminal roles. It can be the goal of a hack, the tool used in scams, or a commodity traded on the dark web. Access to credentials like banking logins, VPN accounts, and social media profiles now costs less than a fast-food meal.
According to the report, data is sold on encrypted messaging platforms, illicit forums, and dark web stores. It is highly organized crime. These platforms offer subscription models and customer service, mirroring legitimate e-commerce platforms.
AI: The New Weapon in Social Engineering
One of the most alarming findings is the rise of AI-powered social engineering. Cybercriminals use Large Language Models (LLMs) to craft believable messages tailored to victims’ cultures and behaviors. These tools mimic personal communication patterns, which dramatically increases scam success rates.
Offenders involved in child sexual exploitation (CSE) also use AI to scale grooming campaigns. With generative AI, they can target multiple children simultaneously across languages, using deepfakes and voice clones to gain trust and manipulate more effectively.
Overcoming the complex challenges outlined
Europol’s Organised Crime Threat Assessment conclusion
above requires multifaceted policy considerations
that focus on both societal resilience and enabling
effective law enforcement within the EU’s robust
legal framework.
ClickFix and CAPTCHA Scams: Hacking Made Easy
In a tactic called ClickFix, criminals deploy fake error messages and CAPTCHA boxes to trick users into clicking on malicious links. These trick users into copying malicious code directly into their systems. This form of social engineering makes victims unwitting participants in their own compromise.
Malware tools like Lumma, an infostealer, infected nearly 400,000 devices globally before authorities dismantled it in a 2025 joint operation with Microsoft. Lumma harvested credentials and sold them via a dedicated marketplace.
Crime-as-a-Service: Everyone Can Be a Hacker Now
The days when cybercrime required advanced coding skills are long gone. Today, aspiring hackers can rent tools and services through crime-as-a-service platforms. These offer phishing kits, malware, tutorials, and even customer support.
This means almost anyone can buy access to a corporate network or government system if they have the money—no experience required.
Old Vulnerabilities, New Exploits
Despite growing awareness, cybercriminals still rely on basic system flaws. They use phishing, vishing (voice phishing), and malware to gain entry. Many attacks start with a simple spoofed email or fake customer support call.
Ransomware groups and Initial Access Brokers (IABs) monitor for outdated systems and poorly configured networks. Once inside, they move laterally, spreading malware and stealing more data.
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End-to-End Encryption: Friend and Foe
While end-to-end encryption (E2EE) protects privacy, it also shields criminals. Encrypted platforms like Telegram and Signal host marketplaces where data brokers operate with impunity.
Law enforcement can’t see into these platforms, making surveillance and evidence gathering extremely difficult. As the report notes, this “lack of visibility” impedes both prevention and prosecution.
Child Exploitation and Data-Driven Grooming
The IOCTA stresses how perpetrators of child sexual exploitation use data to identify, profile, and manipulate children. Stolen or openly shared information—like school names or friend lists—is weaponized for psychological control. Doxxing worsens this issue by publishing private data online and exposing children to ongoing re-victimization by others.
Insider Threats and Job Market Infiltration
Cybercrime has entered HR departments. Threat actors now create fake resumes and infiltrate companies as employees. Once hired, they install malware or steal internal credentials. Others bribe employees to act as insiders.
By attacking from within, criminals bypass traditional defenses.
Recommendations: Fighting Cybercrime in 2025
To address this data-driven threat, Europol recommends:
- EU-wide policies on data retention and E2EE access
- Boosting digital literacy, especially for youth
- Better coordination between public and private sectors
These steps are vital for restoring trust in digital systems and limiting criminal profits.
Cybercrime: Everyone’s Problem
The message is clear: Cybercrime is now systemic, scalable, and shockingly simple. Once compromised, cybercriminals could sell, reuse, or weaponize your data for years.
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