CyberNews – Buying malware has never been easier

Cybersecurity analysts at CyberNews warn of ease of owning malware as significant reason behind huge increases in cyberattacks

An investigation by CyberNews, a leading resource for cybersecurity news and analysis, has found that one of the main factors behind the perpetual rise in cybercrime statistics is the incredibly low cost and high availability of off-the-shelf malware and ransomware sold on darknet marketplaces.

In order to conduct the study, CyberNews visited popular darknet marketplaces and analyzed the availability of malware programs for sale, the cost of the malware tools on offer, as well as the availability of customer support for said tools.

What the team found exceeded their expectations far beyond what the analysts initially anticipated. As it turns out, the entry bar for owning malware is set so low that practically anyone can do it – all you need is an online wallet loaded with some Bitcoin.

Owning malware is cheap or even free: while the free tools are available but somewhat risky to use, advanced tools are available for as little as $50 on cybercrime forums that operate in the open. Customer support is usually offered with paid malware tools, including free updates and troubleshooting services.

As CyberNews browsed the marketplaces, the team found hundreds of malware programs and services for sale. Banking trojans, made for stealing people’s online banking credentials, are offered alongside ransomware builders, state-of-the-art modular malware bots, and much more. All complete with tech support that is available for free or a modest additional fee. One website, the so-called “world’s biggest link list for hacking and security boards,” offers a massive catalogue of online hacking communities and cybercrime forums where users can buy and sell malware, conveniently sorted by the language.

One of the most surprising discoveries of the study was the fact that owning malware can require no skills or experience from the buyer – almost all premium malware sellers provide buyers with in-depth tutorials and ideas about using their products for technically unskilled buyers. On the cheap end of the spectrum, would-be cybercriminals don’t have to look far to find malware reviews and setup tutorials either – thousands of malware tutorials on YouTube have them covered.

CyberNews says: “Even though we have long been aware of the existence of malware marketplaces, our latest research demonstrates that becoming a malware owner is now cheaper and easier than ever.”

For further details of the research, examples and prices of malware tools for sale on the dark web, click here: https://cybernews.com/security/buying-your-own-malware-has-never-been-easier/