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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Monumental fraud and attack risks exposed as study of 141 million leaked files reveals financial documents present in 93% of all data breaches
Lab 1 publishes the biggest ever content-level analysis of breached datasets, finding: Half of all data breaches contain U.S. Social Security Numbers Half of breaches leak bank statements, increasing fraud for employees and customers Customer and corporate PII exposed at concerningly high rates, with HR data and customer care data present in 82% and 67% of incidents The average attack blast radius has increased by 61% in three years LONDON, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lab 1, the AI-powered Exposed Data Intelligence platform, today publishes the biggest ever content-level analysis of breached datasets to reveal the monumental risk of fraud to organizations, their employees and customers, with nearly all breached datasets including financial, HR and customer data. Lab 1 uses AI agents to scrape breached datasets and analyze every file exposed, including unstructured files, like PDFs, emails, spreadsheets, and code files. While typically overlooked in data breach analysis techniques, the information can be leveraged for sophisticated cyberattacks, social engineering attacks, and fraud against companies and their customers. Analyzing 141 million files leaked in the public domain from 1,297 data breach incidents, the first annual Anatomy of a Breach Report reveals: Financial documents are exposing companies and their customers to fraudFinancial documents appear in 93% of incidents and account for 41% of all exposed files. Financial sensitive information types were also highly prevalent and reveal how personal data, as well as commercial information, is being leaked into the public domain. Bank statements, which enable identity fraud, were present in 49% of incidents, and IBANs, which can be used for mandate scams and payment redirection, were included in 36% of breached data sets. Customer and corporate PII exposed in nearly all breachesHuman Resources data - often containing personally identifiable information (PII), payroll and resumes - appeared in 82% of breaches. Two-thirds (67%) involved communications and records concerning customer service interactions and support. Emails were leaked in 86% of all data breaches, the most prevalent exposed sensitive information type, but perhaps most concerningly, half of all incidents analyzed (51%) included U.S. Social Security Numbers. Exposure of PII can lead to targeted phishing, identity theft, and regulatory violations under laws like GDPR or the FTC Act, opening organisations up to the risk of substantial fines, legal action, and erosion of customer trust. Unstructured files are exposing new cyberattack avenuesWhile exposed in a smaller proportion of incidents, cryptographic keys (SSH and RSA Keys) that enable attackers to bypass authentication and access secure systems were present in 18% of all incidents. Cloud and Infrastructure indicators, such as AWS S3 paths and virtual hosts, featured in two-fifths of breaches (20% and 23% respectively), which can facilitate data exfiltration or the discovery of unsecured cloud storage endpoints. Code files, which were exposed in 87% of incidents and account for 17% of all exposed files, also introduce vulnerabilities to the Software Bill of Materials by undermining the integrity and trustworthiness of the software supply chain. Attack blast radius has increased by 61% in three yearsThe content-level analysis exposes the full blast radius of organizations implicated in these incidents, many of which may have nth-party relations to the breached company and be unaware of their potential exposure. The median exposure across all breaches analyzed was 482 organizations, an increase of 61% from a median of 257 in 2022 to 414.5 in 2025. Robin Brattel, Co-founder and CEO, Lab 1 said: 'Rather than focus on mega data dumps of structured and primarily credential-based information, we've focused on the huge risks associated with unstructured files that often hold high-value information, such as cryptographic keys, customer account data, or sensitive commercial contracts. 'With cybercriminals now behaving like data scientists to unearth these valuable insights to fuel cyberattacks and fraud, unstructured data cannot be ignored. We've refined a scientific approach to analyzing unstructured breach contents and today share our findings, which underline the need to move towards a content-aware approach to breach analysis. Ultimately, organizations must understand what information has been leaked, how it can be used, and who might be affected. And faster than it can be used against them.' Note for the editorThe dataset used in the Anatomy of a Breach Study comprises 141,168,340 individual file records sourced from 1,297 ransomware and data breach incidents, all of which are in the public domain and were reconstructed from forensic acquisitions of compromised systems. A methodology can be found within the full report, here. About Lab 1Lab 1 is the first platform to apply AI and data science at scale to identify and analyze exposure to data breaches. Its AI Intel Agent continuously scans breached datasets across the surface, deep, and dark web, extracting and categorizing exposed files. These are safely previewed within the Lab 1 Platform, eliminating the need to download potentially dangerous files for lengthy manual analysis. Organizations receive AI-generated alerts of exposure and summaries of the information revealed, enabling them to understand and act on their exposure quickly and securely. Backed by information security leaders from Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, UBS, and Revolut, Lab 1 has already analyzed over 160 million exposed files. For more information, visit CONTACT: Media Contact Gina Giachetti in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Lab 1 report reveals unstructured data heightens breach risks
Lab 1 has released a report that analyses 141 million files from 1,297 data breach incidents, highlighting significant risks of downstream fraud and cybercrime for organisations, employees and customers. The Anatomy of a Breach 2025 report offers an in-depth content-level investigation of breached datasets, focusing on the prevalence of unstructured files, such as financial documents, HR data, customer records and code files, that are typically overlooked but pose considerable risks. Financial documents prevalent The analysis indicates that financial documents are present in 93% of breach incidents and constitute 41% of all exposed files. According to the report, these documents frequently contain both personal and commercial information, making them valuable targets for cybercriminals. Bank statements, found in 49% of breaches, and International Bank Account Numbers (IBANs), present in 36%, were highlighted as common items that could facilitate identity fraud, payment redirection and mandate scams. Commenting on the findings, Robin Brattel, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Lab 1, said: "Rather than focus on mega data dumps of structured and primarily credential-based information, we've focused on the huge risks associated with unstructured files that often hold high-value information, such as cryptographic keys, customer account data, or sensitive commercial contracts. "With cybercriminals now behaving like data scientists to unearth these valuable insights to fuel cyberattacks and fraud, unstructured data cannot be ignored. We've refined a scientific approach to analyzing unstructured breach contents and today share our findings, which underline the need to move towards a content-aware approach to breach analysis. Ultimately, organizations must understand what information has been leaked, how it can be used, and who might be affected. And faster than it can be used against them." PII and customer data exposure Personal and corporate data - including Human Resources files containing personally identifiable information (PII), payroll, and resumes - featured in 82% of breaches. Additionally, 67% of incidents involved documents and records related to customer service, support, or communication. The prevalence of emails was particularly notable, with 86% of breach incidents exposing this form of sensitive communication. Half the analysed incidents included U.S. Social Security Numbers, further highlighting the scale of PII at risk. The exposure of such data increases the likelihood of targeted phishing attacks, identity theft, and regulatory breaches, which could subject organisations to significant financial penalties and legal challenges under frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act. These risks extend to the erosion of customer trust. Broader attack surface from unstructured files The report underscores the widening cyberattack surface resulting from the exposure of unstructured files. Cryptographic keys, which can be used to bypass authentication and gain access to secure systems, appeared in 18% of incidents. Indicators for cloud and infrastructure, such as AWS S3 paths and virtual hosts, were present in 20% and 23% of breaches respectively. Code files, exposed in 87% of all incidents and accounting for 17% of the total files, present additional vulnerabilities to the supply chain by compromising software trustworthiness. Attack blast radius growing According to Lab 1, the median number of organisations impacted per breach - the so-called 'blast radius' - has risen by 61% since 2022, from 257 to 482 organisations today. This figure includes secondary and tertiary parties who might be unaware of their potential exposure, given their connection to the breached primary organisation. The dataset underpinning the report comprised more than 141 million individual file records, all sourced from ransomware and data breach incidents found in the public domain and reconstructed from forensic acquisitions.
Time Business News
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Legal Frameworks and TIN-Based Investigations
VANCOUVER, Canada | In the modern era of global finance, few elements have proven more transformative—and more disruptive—than the widespread legal adoption of Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) in cross-border investigations. What began as a bureaucratic convenience has become a legal linchpin, enabling unprecedented levels of transparency, enforcement, and asset tracing through formal legal frameworks and treaty cooperation. From criminal prosecutions and civil asset forfeitures to international arbitration and administrative audits, TINs now serve as primary evidence in the world's most complex financial investigations. This in-depth release examines how legal frameworks worldwide are utilizing TIN data, its significance, and its implications for privacy, compliance, and financial defence. The TIN: From Tax Number to Legal Evidence TINs—ranging from Social Security Numbers (SSNs) in the U.S. to PANs in India and NIFs in Portugal—were designed to link individuals and entities to tax obligations. However, under today's regulatory frameworks, they are now used to: This evolution has led to a global network of TIN-based investigations powered by formal legal instruments, treaties, and real-time regulatory cooperation. The Legal Pillars of TIN-Based Investigations TINs now intersect with some of the world's most powerful legal frameworks: 1. FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – U.S.) TINs are central to determining whether an account belongs to a U.S. person, triggering automatic disclosures to the IRS and serving as the basis for enforcement and penalty calculation. 2. CRS (Common Reporting Standard – OECD) TINs are mandatory in all Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) transmissions under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), ensuring each report is linked to a unique individual or entity for cross-border matching. 3. MLATs (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties) Under MLATs, countries request TIN-linked financial records for prosecution, asset tracing, or investigation. These requests often include bank records, tax filings, and registries, all tied to a taxpayer identification number (TIN). 4. EOIR (Exchange of Information on Request) Tax authorities can request data from foreign jurisdictions on individuals or companies using a TIN as the anchor, thereby bypassing the need for traditional subpoenas. 5. Administrative Law and Civil Litigation TINs are now admissible in court to verify identity, demonstrate control of assets, or trace income, especially in matrimonial, probate, or fraud litigation. How Investigators Use TINs in Practice Forensic accountants and legal teams now often begin many investigations by locating a target's Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). This identifier becomes the key to: Uncovering dormant accounts in offshore banks Connecting business entities across jurisdictions Accessing trust registries and land records Linking cryptocurrency accounts to fiat on-ramps Reconstructing asset ownership timelines Case Study: Shell Structures in the Seychelles In 2023, an EU whistleblower leaked corporate formation documents revealing that the same Polish TIN was used in three Seychelles-based entities. Investigators cross-referenced this with UBO declarations in Malta and wire instructions from a Latvian bank. The data triangulation led to a $40 million fraud recovery across five jurisdictions. TINs in Criminal Prosecution Prosecutors increasingly use TINs as core identifiers in financial crimes such as: Money laundering Tax evasion Securities fraud Terrorist financing Bribery under anti-corruption laws (e.g., FCPA, UK Bribery Act) Authorities can now request complete TIN-based financial profiles through: Europol and Interpol cooperation OECD's Joint International Taskforce on Shared Intelligence and Collaboration (JITSIC) Cross-border AML intelligence hubs UNODC's financial crime enforcement database Case Example: The Ayitey Ayayee-Amim Investigation Accused of investment fraud in the U.S., Ayayee-Amim was found to have opened multiple corporate accounts using variant Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) tied to nominee entities. DOJ prosecutors used FATCA disclosures and TIN matches to build a case of jurisdictional misrepresentation and financial obfuscation. TINs in Asset Forfeiture and Civil Recovery TINs provide the continuity of identity required to pursue cross-border asset seizures. In civil recovery cases, plaintiffs must prove: TIN-linked data can: Match account holders to hidden trusts Prove ties between nominees and ultimate beneficiaries Trace capital inflows and outflows across corporate layers Case Study: Crypto Trusts and the South African Seizure In 2024, the South African Revenue Service successfully seized over R85 million in digital assets from an offshore crypto trust. TIN declarations submitted during a 2020 DeFi loan application were used to confirm control by a domestic tax resident, justifying legal seizure despite the assets being held offshore. Amicus International: Strategic Legal Structuring Amicus International Consulting collaborates with global clients aiming to integrate their financial operations with legal frameworks, particularly as TIN-based scrutiny intensifies. Clients include: Amicus services include: 'Your TIN history defines your legal identity today,' says one Amicus employee. 'We ensure that identity is lawful, consistent, and defensible.' Legislative Momentum: Emerging TIN-Driven Regulations Governments are now building or expanding laws to support deeper TIN-based investigation capabilities. These include: Biometric TIN authentication in India, Nigeria, and the UAE in India, Nigeria, and the UAE Mandatory TIN registration for real estate purchases in France, the UK, and Singapore in France, the UK, and Singapore TIN-based sanctions enforcement by OFAC, EU, and UK by OFAC, EU, and UK TIN linking for non-resident taxation in Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Mexico in Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Mexico TIN-backed crypto taxation and reporting through CARF (Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework) These regulations serve both as deterrents to noncompliance and as enforcement multipliers, giving investigators near real-time insights into global activity. Case Study: Legal Name Change Blocked by TIN History In 2024, a former executive attempted to change his legal name in Cyprus following a financial scandal. During the legal name change process, authorities linked his prior TIN filings to undisclosed offshore holdings in Bermuda and Dubai. The change was denied under 'public interest' laws, resulting in renewed criminal proceedings in his home country. The TIN connection nullified the legal separation of identity he had hoped to achieve. The Role of TINs in International Arbitration and Civil Law TINs are now routinely used in commercial arbitration, investor-state disputes, and litigation where: Courts and arbitral bodies accept TINs as: Evidence of legal personality Proof of beneficial ownership Basis for jurisdiction under bilateral treaties Links to compliance history in regulated markets Global Cooperation and Treaty Enforcement TINs are shared through: OECD's Common Transmission System (CTS) U.S. IRS data-sharing under FATCA IGAs EU DAC2 and DAC6 directives Interpol's Global Financial Crimes Database UNODC's Asset Recovery Networks With this cooperation in place, prosecutors can now access financial histories from: Banks in Switzerland, Singapore, and Liechtenstein The company is registered in Belize, the BVI, and Cyprus Crypto exchanges in Estonia, Malta, and South Korea How Amicus Clients Prepare for Legal Scrutiny Clients facing exposure or litigation risk undergo: TIN timeline reconstruction to map historical financial footprints to map historical financial footprints Legal identity synchronization to match across passports, TINs, and trusts to match across passports, TINs, and trusts Jurisdictional exit planning to close high-risk structures with legal compliance to close high-risk structures with legal compliance Voluntary disclosure coordination to mitigate civil or criminal risk to mitigate civil or criminal risk Pre-litigation financial structuring to defend assets before judgment This preparation ensures that clients remain within the law while minimizing risk, especially in cases where past structures were created before the TIN crackdown. Conclusion: The Age of Legal Identity Has Arrived In 2025, your TIN isn't just a tax number—it's a legal artifact. It is evidence in courtrooms, a signal in databases, and a target in asset recovery. Whether you're a private citizen, a multinational CEO, or a trust administrator, your exposure is only as secure as your TIN compliance. In a world where legal frameworks are evolving faster than criminals, a proactive strategy is the most effective protection. 📞 Contact Information Phone: +1 (604) 200-5402 Email: info@ Website: Follow Us: 🔗 LinkedIn 🔗 Twitter/X 🔗 Facebook 🔗 Instagram About Amicus International Consulting Amicus International Consulting offers global clients strategic legal, compliance, and identity solutions in an era of expanding TIN-based regulations. With expertise across over 25 jurisdictions, Amicus empowers lawful transparency, financial defence, and reputation management under the strictest legal scrutiny. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
New York Post
13-06-2025
- New York Post
Major data breach exposes 86M AT&T customer records, including social security numbers — here's how to know if you were affected
AT&T has experienced a massive personal data breach, so if you're one of the more than 100 million people who use the company, you'll want to be on guard. According to a report from Hack Read, more than 86 million customers have been affected with leaked details ranging from full names to dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses. It's reported that more than 44 million Social Security Numbers were also included in the data leak. Advertisement While each of these data sets poses privacy risks on their own, together they could create full identity profiles that could be exploited for fraud or identity theft. The stolen data is reportedly fully decrypted and was first posted to a Russian cybercrime forum on May 15 before being re-uploaded on the same forum on June 3. Hackers reportedly accessed data by getting into accounts that lacked multi-factor authentication, and this leak appears to be linked to an original hack by the ShinyHunters group in April 2024. Advertisement 'It is not uncommon for cybercriminals to re-package previously disclosed data for financial gain,' an AT&T spokesperson told Hack Read in a statement. 'We just learned about claims that AT&T data is being made available for sale on dark web forums, and we are conducting a full investigation.' The original seller of the exposed data claimed that this leak is 'originally one of the databases from the Snowflake breach' — but according to Hack Reads analysis, there are about 16 million more records in this breach than the previous one. The leak reportedly included full names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and social security numbers. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement AT&T also acknowledged the security researchers' doubts that this breach was linked to the original 2024 breach. 'After analysis by our internal teams as well as external data consultants, we are confident this is repackaged data previously released on the dark web in March 2024,' the company said in a statement. 'Affected customers were notified at that time. We have notified law enforcement of this latest development.' If you're an AT&T customer, it's possible your personal and private data could be part of the leak. Though if your data was leaked in this hack, it's likely because it was already unprotected in the August 2024 National Public Data breach, which exposed 'three decades' worth of Social Security numbers on the online black market.' Advertisement 'After analysis by our internal teams as well as external data consultants, we are confident this is repackaged data previously released on the dark web in March 2024,' AT&T said in a statement. LightRocket via Getty Images To check if your information was leaked in that breach, you can check through Pentester, a cybersecurity firm, by going to and entering your information, which will allow you to see a list of your breached accounts. Security experts are also urging customers to keep an eye on their credit reports. AT&T said it 'offered credit monitoring and identity theft protection to those customers whose sensitive personal information was compromised as part of the notice in 2024.'
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Time of India
AT&T suffers massive breach: Hackers steal data of over 86 million customers; what the company said
AT&T has reportedly suffered a massive data breach, with hackers gaining access to the personal data of over 86 million customers. Currently, the telecom provider has nearly 100 million customers in the US, and hackers have reportedly uploaded the personal information of most of them on the dark web. According to a report from Hack Read, the leaked details include full names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email as well as physical addresses of AT&T customers. The report claims that more than 44 million Social Security Numbers were also reportedly part of the data leak. Individually, these data sets pose privacy risks; when combined, they could help in the creation of complete identity profiles for defraud or identity theft, the report adds The stolen data is reportedly fully decrypted. It was initially posted on a Russian cybercrime forum last month, and then re-uploaded to the same forum earlier this month. Hackers reportedly gained access to the data through accounts lacking multi-factor authentication. The report also connected the latest leak to an original hack attributed to the ShinyHunters group in April 2024. What AT&T said about the latest data breach In a statement to Hack Read, an AT&T spokesperson said: 'It is not uncommon for cybercriminals to re-package previously disclosed data for financial gain. We just learned about claims that AT&T data is being made available for sale on dark web forums, and we are conducting a full investigation.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo As per the report, the original seller of the exposed data claimed the leak is 'originally one of the databases from the Snowflake breach .' However, HackRead's analysis found this breach contains about 16 million more records than the earlier one. AT&T also acknowledged that security researchers had questioned any connection between this breach and the original 2024 incident. 'After analysis by our internal teams as well as external data consultants, we are confident this is repackaged data previously released on the dark web in March 2024. Affected customers were notified at that time. We have notified law enforcement of this latest development,' the company further noted. Users who want to check if their data was involved, you can use a tool from cybersecurity firm Pentester by visiting where entering your details will show a list of breached accounts. Security experts have also recommended customers to regularly monitor their credit reports. HP EliteBook Ultra Review: Thin, light, power in a premium package AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
