Researchers from Duke University have found that data on thousands of military personnel, including personal information such as health issues and gambling habits, is being sold for less than $0.50 per person. The researchers contacted 12 different data brokers and purchased information from three of them. The data being sold included contact information, family member details, net worth, religion, and even political affiliation. One broker sold data on nearly 5,000 active-duty military employees for just $0.213 per servicemember. This poses a potential threat to national security, as foreign actors could exploit this lack of privacy regulation and use the information for bribery and blackmail. It is also concerning that buying this data was not only cheap but also easy, as brokers did not require background checks or authentication. Some of these brokers were even willing to send potentially sensitive data to foreign entities. The researchers found that the brokers obtained the data from various sources, including mobile apps, medical records, and nonprofits. The study sheds light on the need for stronger laws surrounding data brokerage to protect national security.