Millions of account details stolen in the first eight months of the year
Between January and August 2026, more than 97 million account details were compromised worldwide, while millions of computers and Android devices were affected by malware.
According to an analysis by cyber intelligence initiative Dark Radar, more than 97 million account details were stolen worldwide in the first eight months of 2026, while over 2.8 million computers and 1.4 million Android devices were damaged by malware.
The Scope of Malware Impact
According to Dark Radar's analysis, over 97 million account details were stolen worldwide between January and August 2026, and the number of malware-infected computers exceeded 2.8 million.
In addition, more than 1.4 million Android devices were affected during this period, and over 94 percent of the devices where threats were detected lacked up-to-date security software.
Background of the Attacks
Instead of forcing their way into systems, attackers prefer information-stealing malware. Spread through phishing emails, pirated software, or links, these programs harvest all passwords and cookies in the browser.
The areas where the most passwords were stolen were everyday internet services such as email, social media, and gaming accounts.
Impact on Corporate Security
Dark Radar Founder Teoman Demirtaş stated that most major corporate breaches start from an employee's computer. The theft of an employee's password opens the door to the company's entire system.
Due to free software downloaded by employees onto their home computers, login credentials for corporate vendor panels and accounting software are also compromised.
Time to Detection of Breaches
Teoman Demirtaş emphasized that the real danger is that breaches are noticed late, and no attack comes to light on the day it occurs.
According to IBM's 2025 report, detecting and containing a data breach takes an average of 241 days, which is more than 8 months.