Several hotels across Italy have fallen victim to a massive data breach, with hackers stealing tens of thousands of travelers’ passports and other identity documents, which are now reportedly being sold on the dark web.
According to Agence France-Presse, Italy’s government agency overseeing digital affairs announced on Wednesday (August 13) that authorities “discovered the illegal sale of identity documents allegedly stolen from hotels operating in Italy.”
The stolen files include “high-resolution scans of passports, ID cards, and other identification documents provided by guests during check-in.”
The hacker, operating under the pseudonym “mydocs,” reportedly obtained nearly 100,000 such files. The thief claimed on the dark web that the documents were acquired through illegal means between June and August this year.
The breach affected ten hotels in Italy, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional incidents.
Officials have warned that victims may face serious consequences, as the stolen data could be used to forge IDs, open bank accounts, or commit other criminal activities.
