BriansClub rose to infamy in 2019 when a data breach exposed its massive scale. The data breach showed that BriansClub had over 26 million stolen credit card data.
BriansClub is a dark web entity (the dark web is a part of the internet that Google doesn’t crawl). Briansclubcm.co is also now accessible from the open web through ‘mirrors’.
In this blog, we will focus on the economic ecosystem of cybercrime and how BriansClub is playing its part in promoting cybercrime through monetization.
The Rise of BriansClub
BriansClub was created in 2015. The website earned around $190 million from 2015 to 2019 and sold millions of credit cards.
The dark web forum was exposed in its 2019 data breach. The data leak showed that the website had over 26 million stolen credit cards for sale. This is quite a high number, considering that the total active credit cards at that time were about 87 million.
The data breach also showed that the total worth of the stolen credit cards was about $556 million.
Another interesting fact about BriansClub is its name. The website was named after an investigative journalist ‘Brian Kerbs’ who exposes cybercriminals. BriansClub mocks the journalist with this name for his honorable efforts.
The Economic Ecosystem of Cybercrime
Like any other economy, cybercrime needs a supply of resources and a means of turning those resources into monetary value.
The dark web is the place where cybercriminals make money. Since the dark web is hidden from the public and if you are not looking you won’t see it, cybercriminals choose the dark web. It gives them anonymity and a safe place to conduct business.
The structure of cybercrime works something like this.
- Cybercriminals hack websites and databases.
- They sell the extracted data to other cybercriminals who conduct financial crimes with that information.
- Both parties make money and keep on doing their crimes.
The key players in the cybercrime economy include hackers, resellers, and buyers. BriansClub is the facilitator and reseller of stolen information. It is the intermediary between the hacker and the buyer.
How BriansClub Operates?
Let’s take a peek at the BriansClub business model.
Business Model
Brians Club takes its cut from all purchases. Its share of each sale varies with the total amount involved and the quality of that information.
The prices vary for each product. A valid credit card is sold anywhere between $30-$200, or sometimes even more if the data package includes all bank information, credit card information, bank & email login, and personal information.
Revenue Streams
Briansclubcm.co makes money by selling stolen credit card information and personal identity information. It also offers tutorials for carding and tools for credit card fraud. You can say that it fully facilitates its buyers and sellers.
Table: Comparison of Card Prices on BriansClub
| Card Type | Price Range (USD) | Expiry Date Range |
| U.S. Credit | $12.76 – $16.80 | Up to October 2019 |
| U.S. Debit | $12.76 – $16.80 | Up to October 2019 |
| Non-U.S. Credit | $17.04 – $35.70 | Up to October 2019 |
| Non-U.S. Debit | $17.04 – $35.70 | Up to October 2019 |
Note: This table doesn’t reflect current prices, but past prices. Current prices are way higher.
Techniques Used to Steal Financial Information
These are some of the techniques used to steal financial information.
Phishing is a type of cybercrime where the hacker pretends to be a trustworthy entity and asks for secret information like credit card details or personal information.
Once hackers penetrate the system, they can make a backdoor for hidden access.
BriansClub affiliates use these phishing tactics.
- Email phishing
- Sms phishing
- Voice phishing (vishing)
- Spear phishing
- Clone phishing
- Website spoofing
Malware and Skimming Devices
Another technique for stealing customer data is to use ransomware, malware, and skimming devices.
These types of malware are used for stealing data.
- Keyloggers
- Spyware
- Trojan Horses
- Ransomware
- Adware
- Rootkits
- Backdoors
Skimming devices are installed on top of ATMs to capture all the card details.
Impact on Victims and Financial Institutions
Though businesses and financial institutions bear heavy monetary losses, it’s the individuals who get devastated and face a hard time bouncing back.
Victim Statistics
We know that they have 26 million credit cards, out of which, 24 million credit cards are of Americans. We can say that the number of victims is about 24 million people.
The first harm individuals face is monetary loss. They lose liquid cash and take a 50-100 points hit on their credit score on average.
Individuals also face the emotional trauma of going through fraud, reporting it to the authorities, and going through all the trouble of clearing their name.
Institutional Impact
Businesses lose huge sums. The average data breach at any company costs $4.41 million. The cost rises with the company size.
Businesses also lose customer trust and profit. They have to put more resources into cybersecurity to protect their data. More costs mean less profit.
Businesses also work on educating the public on the dangers of cybercrime and ways to protect themselves online.
Conclusion
BriansClub is a dark web carding forum where cybercriminals trade stolen credit card data. BClub cm facilitates this trade by providing them with a safe space for business.
There is an urgent need to educate the public on cybersecurity and tell me the ways to protect their data online. Businesses should also invest in educating their customers.
