Security Blind Spots Identified by AI The large-scale data breaches disclosed in quick succession in South Korea and Japan in October 2026 mostly originated not from internal core systems, but from peripheral entry points such as externally exposed web services, app backend APIs, and outsourced SaaS (services provided by third-party vendors via the cloud, such […]

Statistics on Malware Distributed to the Financial Sector In Attack Stage 1, phishing (attacks that trick users into revealing information) had the highest rate at 2.1, Up from 1.8 The previous month. In Attack Stage 2, “Dropper/Downloader” (a type that downloads additional malware) was the most common at 1.1, Though this was a decrease from […]

Purpose and Scope This report summarizes the quantity of new ransomware samples collected, the number of compromised systems, and statistics on targeted businesses during the month of September 2026, as well as major Korean & global ransomware issues. The analysis is based on data collected through ATIP (AhnLab Threat Intelligence Platform) and AhnLab Smart Defense, […]

Note The September 2026 Dark Web Breach Incident Trend Report focuses on data breach cases and the sale of initial access credentials posted on the deep web and dark web forums. The report explicitly states that the accuracy of some of its content cannot be fully verified due to the nature of the sources. Major […]

Note The September 2026 Dark Web Threat Actor Trend Report focuses on threat actors active on the deep web and dark web, as well as publicly reported cyberattack incidents. It is noted that the factual accuracy of some content cannot be independently verified. Major Issues Some hacktivist groups claimed responsibility for DDoS attacks targeting the […]

Purpose and Scope This report summarizes statistics on new ransomware samples, affected systems, and statistics on targeted businesses collected during the month of August 2026, as well as major Korean & Global ransomware issues. Statistics on targeted businesses were compiled based on the time when publicly available information from ransomware groups’ DLS (Dedicated Leak Sites, […]

Statistics on Malware Distributed to the Financial Sector Malware Distribution Trends. In Attack Stage 1, phishing was the highest at 2.1, Up from 1.8 The previous month. In Attack Stage 2, dropper/downloader was the highest at 1.1, Down from 3.2 The previous month. In Stage 3 of the attack, Infostealers were the most prevalent at […]

Note In August 2026, widespread instances of database leaks, the sale of internal data, and the trading of initial access privileges were observed on dark web and deep web forums. Due to the nature of the sources, it was difficult to fully verify the accuracy of some posts. Major Issues ShinyHunters continued to make claims […]

Note The August 2026 Dark Web Threat Actor Trend Report focuses on trends among threat actors—including hacktivists—active on the deep web and dark web. It is noted that the accuracy of some information could not be verified. Major Issues NoName057(16), BD Anonymous, and Dark Storm Team claimed responsibility for repeated DDoS attacks targeting websites of […]

ASEC Blog publishes Ransom & Dark Web Issues Week 1, September 2026           ZaWoo Data Extortion Attacks Against Multiple Organizations Worldwide Black X Ransomware Attack on a South Korean Automotive Parts Manufacturer Internal Data of a South Korean Asset Management and Investment Firm Offered for Sale

Heights Finance Holdings’ online data breach notification says an unauthorized party accessed a third-party cloud platform containing customer data, potentially exposing highly sensitive personal, banking, and identity information.

Heights Finance is a consumer lender that offers personal installment loans. Reportedly, the company filed a report with Texas regulators mentioning 734,828 affected people, though that figure should not automatically be read as a confirmed nationwide total, since Heights Finance operates dozens of personal loan companies across Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and South Carolina. 

The company is associated with the former CURO Management business and related brands. The breach notice covers not only some Heights Finance customers, but potentially people connected to certain current or former CURO-related brands.

On May 7, Heights Finance discovered that an unauthorized party had gained access to a cloud-based platform run by a third party and used to store certain customer information. The company says its investigation found that the intruder may have viewed or copied information in that environment.

Heights says affected people may include:

• People who received a loan through Heights Finance.
• People who inquired about or applied for a loan product, including through a third party.
• Some customers of former parent company CURO Management and its present or former related brands.

What makes the incident especially concerning is the nature of the potentially exposed records, which can include the combination of information criminals need to impersonate someone, target their bank accounts, or create highly convincing phishing attempts.

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Potentially exposed data includes:

• Contact information: Name, home address, phone number, and email address.
• Financial information: Account details, bank name, bank account number, routing number, and related financial information.
• Government identifiers: Social Security number (SSN), tax identification number, driver’s license number, or state ID number.
• Other personal data: Date of birth and personal circumstances voluntarily disclosed during customer service interactions.

The combination of a Social Security number, date of birth, address, and bank account details can create a much more serious risk than a breach exposing only email addresses. It can support identity fraud, financial fraud, account takeover attempts, and tailored social engineering scams.

The personal circumstances customers may have shared with support staff could also make scams more persuasive or potentially more harmful, particularly for people who discussed financial distress, repayment problems, or other sensitive subjects.

What affected customers should do

People who receive a letter from Heights Finance should follow the company’s instructions and enroll in the offered protection service. Exact instructions can be found on Heights Finance’s website.

Since people who were not actual customers could also be affected, there may be some uncertainty about whether someone’s information was included in the data breach. If you believe you fall into one of the listed groups but do not receive a notice, use contact details published by Heights Finance for inquiries. Do not use a number provided in an unexpected email, text, phone call, or even sponsored search result to ask whether your information was involved.

More general advice on what to do is available in our article Involved in a data breach? Here’s what you need to know.

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Note The July 2026 Dark Web Breach Incident Trend Report was compiled based on data breach cases posted on deep web and dark web forums. Due to the nature of some posts, it is difficult to fully verify their accuracy; some posts related to South Korea included AI-generated false data or cases where it could […]

Note The July 2026 Dark Web Threat Actor Trend Report focuses on trends among threat actors—including hacktivists—active on the deep web and dark web. It is explicitly noted that the factual accuracy of some content could not be verified. Major Issues Handala claimed to have compromised the core infrastructure of an Internet service provider in […]

What Happened

HMRC Issues Warning to TikTok Users

• On 4 June 2026, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) uncovered a suspected £153 million tax fraud scam involving TikTok.
• The scheme allegedly involved individuals posting advertisements on the TikTok, enticing users to hand over sensitive tax information, including business VAT registration details or personal self-assessment credentials for a financial reward.
• Using the stolen tax details, the fraudsters could file bogus repayment requests with HMRC.
• The warning comes after two Romanian men, aged 22 and 25, were apprehended by HMRC officers in east London on 23 April 2026 in connection with the alleged fraud.

Lloyds Bank found Two Thirds of Fraud Cases Started on Meta 

• On 6 June 2026, Liz Ziegler, the Lloyds fraud prevention director disclosed that 68% of fraud reports from their customers started on a Meta platform, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
• The average claim value submitted to Lloyds Bank is now above £500, an increase of about £100 from last year. Plus, victims were sending up to £66 million a year to fraudsters after falling victim to a scam advert via Meta, up from £27 million in 2023.
• The most common scams involve fake tickets for concerts, festivals and sporting events. Meta’s Facebook Marketplace is also plagued by fake adverts for cars, bikes, campervans and mobility vehicles.
• Other categories of fraud on Meta platforms, collected by Lloyds between March 2025 and 2026, include: wedding photobooths, tattoo deposits, vapes, wigs, Moncler jackets, football shirts, Dyson products and Amazon Alexas. Fraudulent transactions for deposits for flats, mobile phones, household furniture and gym equipment have also been observed.

UK Finance Recorded £221.5m Lost to Investment Scams

• In June 2026, UK Finance's Annual Fraud Report recorded the highest loss total ever recorded and the highest total number of cases ever reported at 14,893, which was 26% higher than 2025.
• Up to £221.5m was lost to scams in which victims were persuaded to transfer funds to a fake investment or fictitious fund. This figure also marked a 40% rise more than 2025.
• The primary observed tactics involved in investment scams include traditional cold calling to pressurise victims into acting quickly to claim an opportunity before it expires, as well as adverts on social media offering unrealistic rates of returns on investments, and hand-delivered letters.
• The types of investments fraudsters used as bait in 2026 involved gold, property, carbon credits, cryptocurrencies, land banks, and wine.

Fraudsters arrested in Nigeria following NCA intelligence sharing

• In February 2026, the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced that seven men were arrested in Nigeria after intelligence identified an online investment scam compound targeting UK victims. These arrests were the result of co-operation between the National Crime Agency, Meta and the Nigerian Police.
• Using hundreds of fake Facebook accounts accounts to impersonate cryptocurrency traders, the Nigeria-based scammers targeted people who used legitimate investment platforms.
• The scam compound was also allegedly recruiting and training young people in targeting victims for future investment frauds and phishing attacks. A total of 26 phones, 42 sim cards and a laptop were seized on 13 January.

Analyst Comment 

H1 2026 reinforces the transition from email-centric fraud campaigns to social-media-powered fraud operations, with platforms increasingly serving as the primary source of victims for organised cybercriminal groups. Fraudsters are also adapting scams to the culture and user behaviour of individual platforms, such as generate short promotional videos on TikTok or listing fake items for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Rather than deploying identical scams everywhere, criminals tailor campaigns to the platform's intended purpose. Recommendation algorithms and advertising ecosystems provide fraudsters with scalable victim acquisition channels that were previously unavailable through traditional phishing campaigns.

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) has also meant it is much easier for cybercriminals to carry out scams on a much larger scale than they were previously able to. Autonomous systems can enable them to send out messages at scale and contact users by telephone at scale. Plus the scam attempts are also more convincing as they can mimic voices and appearance of celebrities or even a target’s friends and family.

The scale of fraudulent activities across social media is so large, it requires vast resources and expertise to monitor, detect, and prevent. At the same time, the response from HMRC, banks, social media companies, the NCA, and international law enforcement suggests increasing recognition that combating social media fraud requires coordinated action.

The volume of fake accounts on social media used for scams does also validate the calls for increased verification and security checks on such platforms. The UK Government's proposal to introduce a national digital ID system, however, was met with fierce opposition. Up to 2.9 million people signed a UK parliament petition to show their disagreement with such a system.

Defensive Takeaways 

• Reduce Public Exposure: Fraudsters increasingly use information shared on social media to personalise scams and identify potential victims. Consider making profiles private or limiting visibility to trusted contacts and if you no longer actively use a social media platform, consider deleting the account entirely.
• Be on Guard for Scams: Sponsored advertisements should not automatically be considered legitimate. Refuse any financial rewards in exchange for your login credentials. Be cautious of investment opportunities promoted solely through social media. Assume Facebook Marketplace listings can be fraudulent.
• Report Suspicious Activity: Reporting scams helps remove fraudulent content and supports law enforcement investigations. Useful UK reporting channels include Report Fraud and the UK NCSC's Suspicious Email Reporting Service report@phishing.gov.uk.
• Seek Support after a Scam: Victims should not assume financial losses are unrecoverable. It can be possible to get funds returned if they contact their bank immediately, preserve screenshots and transactions records, and report the incident to Report Fraud. Further, if a victim is dissatisfied with how their bank handled their case, they can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Relevant Sources 

1. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tiktok-hmrc-tax-fraud-scam-b2989914.html
2. https://www.thetimes.com/article/840020a8-1210-47c9-9262-e3139116b652?shareToken=771d08288cd2ac9d0ba13194f43d75a0
3. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/15/investment-fraud-uk-more-than-220m-lost-last-year-scams-ai
4. https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/system/files/2026-06/UK%20Finance%20Fraud%20Report%202026.pdf
5. https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/fraudsters-arrested-in-nigeria-following-nca-intelligence-sharing 

Statistics on Malware Distributed to the Financial Sector In the June threat analysis for the financial sector, phishing was the most prevalent attack method in Attack Stage 1, while droppers/downloaders (distribution tools that download additional malware) were the most prevalent in Attack Stage 2. Infostealers were identified in the third attack stage, indicating that multi-stage […]

Note The June 2026 Dark Web Breach Incident Trend Report is based on major data breach cases posted on the deep web and dark web forums. Due to the nature of some sources, it was difficult to fully verify the accuracy of certain information, so the report includes content that requires further verification. Major Issue […]

Notes the May 2026 Dark Web Threat Actor Trend Report summarizes the trends of threat actors and hacktivists operating on the deep web and dark web. some statements are not factually verifiable. Major Issues hacktivist activity targeting the South Korean Region was concentrated. some hacktivist groups claimed DDoS attacks against the website of the South […]

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