DLBI: Data-Scraping Bots Are Creating a Shortage of Data Leaks
Specialists from Data Leakage & Breach Intelligence (DLBI) have analyzed the Russian data leak market for the period January through September 2025 and identified an unexpected trend: data-scraping bot owners are buying out even small leaked databases, sometimes paying thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars for exclusive access.
According to DLBI’s report, 57 data leaks were recorded in the first nine months of 2025, exposing approximately 34.7 million unique phone numbers and 28 million unique email addresses. These leaks appeared across limited-access platforms, dark web forums, and Telegram channels.
Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of leaks dropped nearly fourfold, while the total volume of exposed records decreased sixfold — a sharp decline that researchers attribute not only to improved data protection, but also to aggressive market consolidation by automated data-harvesting operators.
Who’s Leaking — and Who’s Buying
The logistics sector accounted for the majority of incidents this year, representing almost 60% of all leaked data. The retail industry followed with 20%, and government organizations made up about 6%.
By contrast, in 2024, e-commerce topped the list (39%), followed by pharmacy and medical services (10%), and financial institutions (9%).
Analysts note that logistics’ dominance in 2025 stems largely from a massive breach of the Sberlogistika delivery service, which exposed 20.3 million unique phone numbers and 17.1 million email addresses — accounting for the majority of the year’s total.
A Hidden Market for “Exclusive” Leaks
Despite the apparent decline in publicly available leaks, DLBI founder Ashot Oganesyan says the real picture is far more complex.
“In the first nine months of this year, at least another 20 to 25 leaks never reached public or semi-private channels,” Oganesyan explained. “They were purchased on exclusive terms by Telegram data-scraping bot operators for retail resale based on user requests.”
According to Oganesyan, these privately held leaks often include purchase histories, financial transactions, and property or vehicle ownership details — data that is more valuable than simple contact information.
“The shrinking number of leaks has increased competition among bot owners,” he added. “They’re now hunting for even small databases, paying thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — of dollars for them. The most in-demand data belongs to residents of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Krasnodar Krai, which also make up a large share of the bots’ user base.”
What’s Next for the Black Market
DLBI researchers predict that the trend toward exclusive buyouts by Telegram bot owners will only intensify. As a result, the “open” black market for data leaks may soon be left trading primarily in older, recycled datasets containing little more than basic contact details.
This quiet monopolization of stolen data reflects a maturing underground economy — one where the value of information is determined less by its size, and more by who controls access to it.
