A Name in the Black Sea: Identity Exploitation and the Depths of the Dark Web in Japan and the UK (2012-2024) 05/02/2025

A Name in the Black Sea: Identity Exploitation and the Depths of the Dark Web in Japan and the UK (2012-2024) 05/02/2025

In 2012, the Telegraph reported that the UK had one of the worst levels of identity fraud in Europe. In London-East Ham, seven times the national average, more than 120,000 frauds were reported in the same year alone, according to Cifas. In particular, there were cases where victims whose personal information was stolen were charged large sums of money in taxes because their companies were set up in other countries. The reality is that information gathered through phishing, database breaches, and malware is being sold on the dark web.

As in the U.K., the deep darkness has been revealed in Japan as well: by 2019, about 40% of Japanese citizens will be victims of cyber attacks; by 2023, confidential information of 30 major manufacturing companies will be distributed on the dark web; by 2024, major publishing companies and water supply companies will be hit by ransomware attacks and their employees' and customers' personal information will be stolen in droves; and by 2025, the U.S. will be the first country to be hit by a cyber attack. In 2024, major publishing companies and water supply companies suffered ransomware attacks that resulted in the theft of a large amount of personal information of their employees and customers. This leaked information included personal numbers, email accounts, credit card information, and even bank accounts.

Currently, stolen Japanese personal information is being sold as packages on the dark web for several thousand yen. There are also reports of a new type of scam in which a person's voice or text is mimicked to withdraw money from an account.

In addition, monitoring of credit information and moderation of information transmission on social networking services are also required. In addition, companies urgently need to educate their employees, manage vulnerabilities, and introduce dark web monitoring services.

The "black market," once a symbol of the underworld, has become an everyday threat that creeps up behind everyone's back. In this day and age, where personal information circulates like currency, we must continue to hone our self-defense shields, regardless of the differences between Japan and the UK.