Experts Warn: Data Breaches Represent a Battle for Digital Identity
As digital transformation accelerates, individual account hacks are no longer the primary concern. A new threat has emerged: the trade of leaked data as a valuable commodity on underground internet markets, jeopardizing the digital security of individuals and institutions.
Dr. Mohamed Mohsen Ramadan, head of the Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Unit at the Arab Center for Research and Studies, described this phenomenon as an existential threat to digital identity, stating that "every piece of information, no matter how trivial, can be monetized, leading to extortion, identity theft, or even long-term cyberattacks."
According to Dr. Ramadan, data breaches involve various types of sensitive information, including personal, financial, and medical details, often obtained by exploiting security vulnerabilities or through electronic deception. He added that this data "embarks on its journey into the underground world of the internet, the 'dark web,' where the largest data markets exist, and where information is sold in secret auctions and shared within closed hacker groups."
General Aboubakr Abdel Karim, former assistant to the Egyptian Minister of Interior for media relations, revealed that leaked data has become a tool for various serious crimes, including cyber extortion, identity theft, and advanced financial fraud.
The general explained that having accurate information about victims makes fraudsters' attacks "more convincing" and enables them to execute complex fraudulent operations to steal money, especially if they gain access to temporary verification codes or answers to security questions.
The security expert also mentioned the availability of digital tools to help users monitor their data exposure, such as the well-known site "Have I Been Pwned," along with built-in features in web browsers and security software that send instant alerts upon detecting any breaches.
General Abdel Karim concluded by offering basic preventive advice, urging individuals to adopt strong, unique passwords for each account, enable two-factor authentication, and regularly review application permissions on smart devices. He stated that "data breaches are no longer isolated incidents but a battle for your digital identity," emphasizing that data protection in the age of artificial intelligence has become "an individual national security necessity."
