Our Analysts Found the darkstarfree Dump Circulating in Telegram Channels

In July 2023, HEROIC analysts found a stealer log file circulating on Telegram under the name darkstarfree 556 pcs subscribe to channel. The file exposed 9,038 records compiled from 556 infected machines, with each record containing an email address, a plaintext password, and the URL of the account those credentials were used to access. The phrase "subscribe to channel" in the file name reveals the actor's intent: this was promotional material designed to attract new subscribers to their Telegram distribution channel by giving away real stolen credentials for free.

Using breach data as a marketing tool is a tactic that has grown more common in stealer log communities, and it makes these releases especially widespread. Anyone who saw the post could download the file, meaning the 9,038 records were exposed to an unrestricted audience from the moment of upload.

What the darkstarfree Stealer Log Contained

Each of the 9,038 records in this dataset included:

• Email addresses identifying the account holders whose devices were compromised
• Plaintext passwords captured directly from browser storage and device memory on infected machines
• URLs showing the exact websites and services each credential pair belonged to

Why Stealer Log Credentials Like darkstarfree Lead to Account Takeovers

The credential stuffing risk from a file like this one is immediate and concrete. Attackers receive a labeled list of email-and-password pairs alongside the target URLs. Automated tools can test these logins against live platforms at scale within hours. Any password that was reused across multiple services becomes a master key, unlocking every account where that credential was also employed.

Email account takeovers are particularly damaging because they give the attacker access to password reset flows for every other service the victim uses. From there, financial fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized access to employer systems can all follow in a chain that started with one compramised browser save.

With 9,038 records distributed to an open Telegram audience, the number of criminals who may have already tested these credentials against live accounts is essentially unknowable.

How Our Analysts Found the darkstarfree Dump Circulating on Telegram

HEROIC's threat intelligence team monitors Telegram channels, dark web forums, and private marketplaces where stolen credential data is traded and distributed. The darkstarfree file was identified as part of our routine monitoring of stealer log distribution activity. The file was shared openly in a Telegram channel alongside a prompt instructing viewers to subscribe for future log releases, a common growth tactic used by operators of these channels.

The underlying malware responsible for the 556-machine harvest used in this file is an information stealer distributed through phishing campaigns and malicious software. Each machine in the batch was quietly infected, its browser credentials harvested, and the data exfiltrated before the victim noticed anything had occured. The logs were then compiled into the darkstarfree package and posted as a subscriber acquisition tool.

Once a file like this enters the open Telegram ecosystem, HEROIC indexes it and adds the records to our breach database so that affected individuals can find out if their data was included and take action before any further damage is done.

Check If Your Email Appears in the darkstarfree Dataset

HEROIC's free breach scanner covers more than 400 billion records, including the darkstarfree stealer log and thousands of other files acquired from Telegram channels and dark web sources. Entering your email takes seconds and delivers imediete results showing whether your credentials are in our database.

Run your free scan at heroic.com/scan. If your email address is in this file, change the exposed password on every account where it was used, enable two-factor authentication starting with your email and banking accounts, and review your inbox for any forwarding rules or sent messages that you did not create.