Data exploitation is now embedded across the cybercrime lifecycle, from breaching systems to selling stolen data on encrypted platforms. Everyday online environments—such as e-commerce sites, social media, and gaming platforms—are increasingly misused for grooming, radicalization, and financial crime. Personal information, Europol says, is no longer just a byproduct of cyberattacks but a core commodity fueling ransomware, fraud, identity theft, and child exploitation. Social engineering remains the most common entry point, while advances in artificial intelligence have made these attacks faster, more scalable, and harder to detect.