{"id":9389,"date":"2025-07-23T10:19:31","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T09:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/?p=9389"},"modified":"2025-07-23T10:19:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T09:19:32","slug":"spain-leads-illegal-cookie-sales-on-the-dark-web-risks-and-protection-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/spain-leads-illegal-cookie-sales-on-the-dark-web-risks-and-protection-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain Leads Illegal Cookie Sales on the Dark Web: Risks and Protection Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

More than 550 million cookies from Spanish users are being sold on the dark web.<\/strong> Here's what they are, why they're dangerous, and how you can minimize the risk for yourself and your users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s happening with cookies in Spain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A study by NordVPN revealed that Spain is the most affected country in Europe for illegal cookie sales<\/strong>, with over 554 million cookies exposed<\/strong>. Globally, it ranks 20th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These cookies come from two main sources: data breaches via malware<\/strong> and \u201clegal\u201d transfers<\/strong> to data brokers from websites with vague cookie policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Imagen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why are cookies so valuable?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cookies are small files that act as digital keys<\/strong>. In the wrong hands, they can grant direct access to active accounts, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Email<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Online banking<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Social media<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • E-commerce platforms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    They often contain personally identifiable information<\/strong> (PII), including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • session_ids<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • names, emails, and locations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • personal preferences<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • and even passwords in some cases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      How are cookies stolen or leaked?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      1. \u201cLegal\u201d sharing:<\/strong>
      Some websites sell user cookies to data brokers<\/strong>, who then resell them without control over their use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. Malware attacks:<\/strong>
      Cybercriminals exploit browser vulnerabilities to extract stored cookies<\/strong> from infected devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      How can you protect yourself?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Follow these best practices to reduce your exposure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Manage cookie preferences:<\/strong> accept only essential cookies; reject third-party ones.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Clear cookies and cache regularly:<\/strong> this limits exposure in case of a breach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Use secure browsers and networks:<\/strong> look for HTTPS and avoid public Wi-Fi.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Install up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware tools.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA):<\/strong> even with a stolen cookie, unauthorized access becomes harder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        Privacy vs comfort: the eternal dilemma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Cookies improve your browsing experience, but they can compromise your privacy if misused<\/strong>. The balance lies in accepting only what\u2019s necessary<\/strong>, cleaning your browser regularly, and using tools that enhance security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        Privacy vs comfort: the eternal dilemma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        At Lawwwing<\/strong>, we help you understand and control these risks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Our cookie banner detects all cookies on your website<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • You can monitor and verify that everything is compliant<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Meet legal requirements and protect your users\u2014with zero hassle<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Spain leads Europe in illegal cookie sales on the dark web, with over 550 million files exposed. These cookies, obtained through cyberattacks or shady transfers, can grant unauthorized access to active accounts and personal data. This article explains the real risks and how to stay protected.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":9386,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[364,201,305,357],"tags":[363],"class_list":["post-9389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2025-3","category-privacy-en","category-espana","category-357","tag-cookies"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9389"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9390,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9389\/revisions\/9390"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawwwing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}