Dark Web News Analysis
A threat actor on a known cybercrime forum is advertising the alleged sale of a database belonging to ZhuoHi Network (zhuohi.com), a Chinese entity. The dataset reportedly contains 1.2 million records and is marked with a “Leak Date: 2025”.
Brinztech Analysis:
- The Target: ZhuoHi Network appears to be a business information aggregator or directory service, similar to a “Yellow Pages” or B2B database for Chinese companies.
- The Data: The leaked dataset is comprehensive, including Company Names, Contact Persons, Titles, Mobile Numbers, Email Addresses, Legal Representatives, Financial Details (Registered Capital, Annual Turnover), Business Types, Main Products, and Full Addresses.
- Context: This leak surfaces amidst a surge of data breaches targeting Chinese entities in 2025. Recent reports highlight massive leaks, such as the 4 billion record “Chinese Surveillance Network” breach (June 2025) and the Knownsec breach (November 2025). This new ZhuoHi leak fits the pattern of targeting aggregators to harvest high-value B2B intelligence.
Key Cybersecurity Insights
This alleged data breach presents a significant threat to businesses listed in the directory:
- Extensive Business & PII Exposure: The leak exposes 1.2 million highly detailed records. This is not just public data; the inclusion of Annual Turnover and Mobile Numbers of Contact Persons (often key decision-makers) makes this a “goldmine” for targeted B2B attacks.
- High Risk of Targeted Cyber Attacks: With detailed financial and contact data, attackers can launch highly convincing Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks. For example, scammers could impersonate a supplier or partner, referencing specific product lines or financial figures found in the leak to build trust.
- Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: As a company directory, the breach exposes sensitive information about ZhuoHi Network’s partners and clients. This could lead to downstream security risks for interconnected organizations, as attackers map out supply chains and target weaker links.
- Unusual Leak Date Implications: The “Leak Date: 2025” confirms the data is fresh. In the fast-moving world of Chinese business, current contact info is highly perishable and therefore highly valuable to criminals right now.
Mitigation Strategies
In response to this claim, companies listed on ZhuoHi and the platform itself must take immediate action:
- Enhanced Phishing and Social Engineering Training: Implement immediate security awareness training for employees, focusing on recognizing spear-phishing and BEC attempts. Warn staff that attackers may have accurate knowledge of company financials and key personnel.
- Proactive Credential Monitoring: Monitor dark web forums for leaked credentials associated with corporate email addresses found in this dataset. Ensure that employees do not reuse passwords across platforms.
- Review Access Controls: Companies should review their exposure on public directories. If sensitive financial data (like exact turnover) is being aggregated by third parties like ZhuoHi, consider requesting removal or redaction to minimize the attack surface.
- Incident Response: ZhuoHi Network must verify the breach, identify the vulnerability (likely an API scrape or database misconfiguration), and notify affected clients in accordance with China’s Data Security Law (DSL) and Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL).
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
Like this:
Like Loading...
Post comments (0)