Identity-as-a-Service: Uncovering Dark Web Marketplaces Trading Executive SSNs
Rapid7, Thursday, August 27th, 2026
Rapid7 investigates dark web marketplaces selling executives' Social Security numbers, a permanent form of exposure.
Rapid7 examines dark web marketplaces trading in Social Security numbers, particularly those of executives.
Despite modern verification controls, identity theft remains one of the most pervasive threats to individuals and enterprises: US Federal Trade Commission statistics show over one million identity theft reports annually, with related fraud and imposter scams accounting for billions in losses.
The research draws a distinction between stolen payment cards, which enable rapid short-term monetization but can be deactivated, and SSNs, which cannot.
Once exposed, an SSN can support unauthorized lines of credit and other fraud indefinitely, making it a far more durable asset in the cybercrime economy.