Over 36 million victims. If your kids play Roblox, be aware that data leaks put them at risk

JVTech News Over 36 million victims. If your kids play Roblox, be aware that data leaks put them at risk

More than 36 million people’s data has been compromised

In the last three years, cybercrime has grown at an alarming rate, threatening security. More than 36 million users, mainly children, from the popular gaming platform Roblox. Cybersecurity experts have revealed that around 34 million Roblox accounts have had their credentials compromised and put up for sale on the dark web.

This massive data leak was made possible by specialized malware, called “infostealers” or simply “infostealers”, which infiltrate personal and business devices through phishing and other methods. Cybercriminals, after initially stealing this sensitive information, then resell it on the dark web, where they become valuable assets for other malicious activities.

The growing popularity of AI-powered services, including gaming platforms, has led to an increase in credential theft.. Between 2021 and 2023, over one million users of AI image editing tools like Canva had their credentials compromised.

Grammarly, the AI-powered writing assistant, has also experienced a security breach, with around 839,000 credentials stolen between 2021 and 2023.

A very popular platform among children

The Roblox gaming platform, very popular among children, has proven to be a prime target for cybercriminals.. Between 2021 and 2023, the number of compromised Roblox accounts saw an alarming increase of 231%, from approximately 4.7 million in 2021 to 15.5 million in 2023. Children, being among the most vulnerable audiences, are exposed to various forms of social engineering.

Cybercriminals often use infostealers hidden in files containing cheat codes to trick young players. Sometimes these scams look legitimate as malicious download links may be posted on legitimate and popular social platforms such as YouTube. Thus, a significant number of compromised accounts come from games specifically targeted at children.

Although many Roblox accounts have been compromised, the real value for cybercriminals lies in other account types. For example, ads related to Steam accounts, an online gaming service, reached nearly 10,000 between 2021 and 2023, while ads related to compromised Roblox accounts remained below 150.

These cybercriminals target game accounts to steal valuables, such as real money, in-game currency, and various in-game items, such as expensive skins. Steam accounts seem more attractive because of the ability to find and steal real money.

Yulia Novikova, Head of Digital Footprint Intelligence at Kaspersky explains.