Vaccines Marketplace On Darknet Down Due To Hack

On March 23^rd, only one day after Check Point Research’s latest report about Fake COVID-19 test results and vaccination certificates offered on Darknet and hacking forums Check Point’s researchers learned that the market place they have been monitoring on the Darknet that offered those products and services is now down, due to a hack.

According to a post on the market’s forum, published March 25, a hacker figured out a way to create fake orders which he immediately cancelled using their seller account, creating refunded funds out of thin air, which were immediately withdrawn by the hacker. Using this method, they were able to gain 13 Bitcoins (BTC), which is the equivalent of over 752K US.

As a result, the marketplace is down completely since, and at this point of time is yet to be restored online.

Market place admin announcing the hack from March 25^th

It is important to note that Check Point’s researchers have been monitoring this marketplace since November 2020 and this is the first time that any such downtime has occurred.

Market downing did not stop sales of COVID-19 related “Goods”

The hacking and subsequent downtime of the market has not halted sales of COVID-19 related “goods”. Since the marketplace went down, a hacking forum was staged on the same web address offering a variety of advertisements, with COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination documents included, and all at great discounts for promotion purposes. Examples are attached below:

First announcement by administrator that the Market is down March 23^rd

Sellers shifting to hacking forums to sell their merchandise

Selling COVID-19 vaccination cards and negative test papers

Check Point Research will continue to monitor this marketplace to see if it has been taken down permanently as a result of the hack, or if its previous activities will resume.