Voter Information of 106,988,638 Americans for Sale on the Dark Web, Privacy Affairs Study Finds
Study reveals that sensitive voter information of 106,988,638 Americans is available for purchase on the dark web at surprisingly low prices.
LONDON, England, June 1, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Information belonging to millions of US voters is now up for sale on the dark web. Voter databases are sold and purchased through the dark web for prices as low as $10.
A study by Privacy Affairs investigated the dark web voter data market to identify the US states where the voters are most vulnerable and which voter databases fetch the highest price tag. The study also discusses how the democratic system can be compromised by these hacked and illegally obtained voter databases.
The study found the following:
- Full and partial voter databases of most US States and millions of citizens' private information are being sold.
- Most databases are sold for around $10 USD.
- The hacked databases include voter ID, full name, physical address, previous address, date of birth, gender, and citizen status.
- The hacked data even reveals if one voted in a past election.
Example of sold voter databases:
| Package | Individuals Affected | Price |
| Florida Voter Database | 12,500,000 | $10 |
| Alabama Hacked Voter Database | 132,000 | $8 |
| Pennsylvania Hacked Voter Database | 620,201 | $10 |
| Maryland Hacked Voter Database | 4,200,000 | $10 |
| Florida 2018 Voter Database | 13,939,000 |
$10 |
You can find the full study here: https://www.privacyaffairs.com/hacked-voter-records
The Most Dangerous Place to Be a Voter
Florida is the most listed American state when it comes to purchase of voter data.
Although the Voter Registration Number is listed as a confidential field in publicly available sources, the leaked data contains more information than what the government provides publicly.
The voter information prices in Florida range from $10 to $60 or more for a complete list.
The Most Expensive Voter Files
Voter databases attract the highest price tag in Wisconsin, with a complete database fetching as much as $242.24.
A complete package of voter database information can be purchased for just $100 in 27 American states.
Also, it costs only $10 to purchase a voter database of 70 million Filipino voters.
The Value of Voter Data
The most worrying part of problem is that the hacked voter data shows whether a particular voter voted, and in which election.
These databases are used by campaign operatives to better target audiences and create maps of potential voters based on their location, status, race, and marital status. It is also possible to determine an individual's voting habit using these details.
Due to them being illegally sold on the dark web, foreign state actors can potentially also use this leaked data for targeted propaganda and disinformation campaigns.
The complete report for the study is available at - https://www.privacyaffairs.com/hacked-voter-records
For questions regarding the research or more information about the report, contact Miklos Zoltan at miklos@privacyaffairs.com or visit Privacy Affairs.
Privacy Affairs is a publication focused on cybersecurity research and education.
Source: Privacy Affairs
