Brinztech Alert: Alleged Database of Engtest Net (Education Platform) is on Sale

Dark Web News Analysis

A threat actor on a monitored hacker forum is advertising the sale of a database allegedly belonging to Engtest Net (likely an English language testing or education platform). The dataset contains approximately 109,000 user records and is being sold for a low price of $100, with escrow services accepted.

Brinztech Analysis:

• The Target: The domain “Engtest Net” implies an educational service used by students or professionals seeking language certification. Educational platforms are frequent targets because they hold static PII that remains valid for years.
• The Data: The leak is described as comprehensive, containing:
  • Identity PII: Full Names, Dates of Birth, Genders, and Addresses.
  • Profile Data: Education Levels (valuable for targeted recruitment scams).
  • Contact Info: 65,000 Email addresses and 45,000 Phone numbers.
  • Credentials: Usernames and Passwords. The analysis notes a “lack of password hashing” might be involved, suggesting passwords could be in plaintext.
• The Price ($100): The low price point indicates the data may be easily accessible (low-skill hack) or the actor is prioritizing volume sales over exclusivity. This ensures the data will be distributed widely among low-tier cybercriminals.

Key Cybersecurity Insights

This alleged data breach presents specific risks to the platform’s users (likely students and job seekers):

• Credential Stuffing (Plaintext Risk): If passwords are exposed in plaintext (as implied), this is a critical threat. Users often reuse their “study site” password for their personal email or social media. Attackers will use automated tools to test these 109,000 credentials against Facebook, Gmail, and banking sites immediately.
• Targeted Phishing (Job/Exam Scams): The field “Education Level” allows scammers to craft highly relevant lures.
  • Scenario: A user listed with a “University” education level receives a phishing email: “Regarding your recent English proficiency test results: Certification Pending. Click here to verify.”
• Identity Theft: The combination of Full Name + Date of Birth + Address is sufficient in many jurisdictions to apply for fraudulent credit cards or bypass security questions on other service portals.
• Smishing Risk: With 45,000 phone numbers exposed, users should expect a surge in SMS spam or fraud attempts.

Mitigation Strategies

In response to this claim, administrators of Engtest Net and its users must take immediate action:

• Force Password Reset: Engtest Net administrators must immediately invalidate all user sessions and force a password reset on the next login.
• Credential Hygiene: Users should assume their password is compromised. If you used the same password on Engtest Net and your email/bank, change the other passwords first.
• Email Filtering: Users should be wary of emails claiming to be from “Engtest Support” asking for personal details or payments, as attackers may use the stolen names to personalize these emails.
• MFA Implementation: The platform should implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to render stolen passwords useless for future attacks.

Secure Your Business with Brinztech — Global Cybersecurity Solutions Brinztech protects organizations worldwide from evolving cyber threats. Whether you’re a startup or a global enterprise, our expert solutions keep your digital assets safe and your operations running smoothly.

Questions or Feedback? For expert advice, use our ‘Ask an Analyst’ feature. Brinztech does not warrant the validity of external claims. For general inquiries or to report this post, please email us: contact@brinztech.com