Armenia probes alleged sale of 8 million government records on hacker forum

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Armenia probes alleged sale of 8 million government records on hacker forum

Summary

Hackers claiming the alias “dk0m” advertised a dataset of about 8 million Armenian government-related records on an underground forum for $2,500. The seller says the data came from a government notification system used for official communications, including police and judicial notices. Armenia’s Public Relations and Information Center (PRIC) denied a breach of government email infrastructure and suggested the files may come from the electronic civil litigation platform; an internal investigation is under way.

Cybersecurity researchers at CyberHUB-AM say dk0m is a known broker who often uses infostealer malware to harvest credentials and session cookies, then pivots to sell access to government portals. The actor has previously sold datasets linked to ministries in other countries and has shared samples to prove credibility. Screenshots from August 2024 indicate the actor may already have had Armenian data, so the current listing might monetise older caches. If genuine, the records could make social engineering attacks far more convincing by referencing real case numbers, fines or enforcement actions.

Key Points

  • Seller “dk0m” listed roughly 8 million Armenian government-related records on an underground forum for $2,500.
  • The dataset purportedly includes official notifications tied to police, courts and administrative bodies.
  • PRIC denies an email-system breach and suggests the files may come from the electronic civil litigation platform; an internal probe is ongoing.
  • CyberHUB-AM says dk0m is a repeat broker who typically uses infostealer malware to harvest credentials and session cookies before reselling access.
  • If authentic, the data would raise citizens’ exposure to highly convincing social engineering and scam campaigns.

Why should I read this?

Short version: this could be a big deal if true. It’s worth a quick read because it flags a potential large-scale leak that makes scams much easier and could affect millions of people. We’ve skimmed the noise and pulled out the bits that matter — follow the investigation if you want to know whether this is fresh loot or old data getting re-sold.

Source

Source: https://therecord.media/armenia-probes-alleged-sale-government-records