Automated identity theft

Honeynet intruders often use Internet Relay Chat (IRC) to communicate with their peers. When they do, honeynet operators can observe social interactions among black hats, which could disclose their attack and intrusion tactics, describe their motives, or otherwise shed light on their underground activities. In one recent case, honeynet intruders exposed the existence of automated tools that support and facilitate identity theft and credit-card fraud. Members of a community who call themselves carders use these tools to defraud Internet merchants and consumers of potentially large financial sums.