Why Cyber criminals love cyber crime. It's cheap, easy & super effective

Cybercrime is almost risk-free, far from laws' reach, profitable and easy. Not like Breaking Bad.

Cyber Crime is easy to get started in!

For as little as $5 an hour, cyber gangs rent cybercrime services online, sending cheap emails to an ancient list. They require very few resources, cash or education to rip people off and destroy businesses and livelihoods.  Here's a few ways in which criminals use the Dark Web to attack businesses: 

  • The Black Market
  • Data breaches
  • Access to vulnerable networks
  • DDoS attacks
  • Insider Threats

High-end thugs who engage in top-end cybercrime prefer phishing, ransomware, and personalised spear/whale phishing attacks. Some countries even regard this as Entrepreneurial.

The Black Market

The Dark Web is an Aladdin's cave for illegal goods and services, including hacking tools, stolen data, malware and ransomware. Cybercriminals can buy and sell these items anonymously and securely.

If you spend more on coffee than on IT security, they will hack you.
Common Sense

Data breaches

Information such as the 100 million names, emails, passwords, and phone numbers (credentials) stolen by Yevgeniy Nikulin in his LinkedIn, Dropbox, and WordPress heist of 2012 is now available on the dark web for next to nothing. Eventually convicted in California, Nikulin served just 36 months of his 88-month term in jail. He made so much money Moscow police asked him to stop posting wealth porn on Instagram and warned him not to leave Russia.

cybercrime, what is data breaching, awareness training , cybersecurity
Stole 100 million records from LinkedIn, WordPress & Dropbox data in 2012. Spent 36 months in US jail.

Breaking open system

The Dark Web hosts dozens of hacking forums where cybercriminals share tips, techniques and tools. Hackers commonly pool resources, finance, skills, and knowledge to arrange high-yield heists. Just like in normal life, you have the clients and all the providers who supply all the different expertise.

Client CEO True Story, April 2023

One of our client's CEOs was hacked on his mobile phone using a Wi-Fi booster at an airport. He was immediately recognised as a high-value target (via a high-speed LinkedIn lookup bot ). A CEO of a Government body. Using his password credentials, they started sending out thousands of emails within 30 minutes using his work email address.   

  1.  Used a low-end coffee shop Wi-Fi.
  2.  They lifted data from Router. 
  3.  Immediately identified High-Value target
  4.  His office email address & password identified
    5. Gang started sending out 1000s of emails from his office account

 

DDoS attacks

Criminals regularly hire hackers to launch DDoS attacks on businesses. It is easier to arrange a denial of service attack than hire a car. Select your preferences, pay the contractor, attack businesses, and bring down websites. 

Insider threats - your own staff!

Your own employees may be your biggest problem, distressed, in debt, depressed and turn over credentials, personal information, passwords and access to Bank accounts.

internet crime, interpol, nikulin, linkedin, dropbox, hacking, malware,
Russian cops told Nikulin don't leave Russia. He was InterPols' No.1 most wanted.  

Let's tackle your organisation's security awareness & readiness!

Get in touch for a Demo, Trial, Quote from us!


What makes it easier?

What makes cybercrime easier is that most people believe it does not exist, that they will never be the victim, that it will always be someone else, never them. Most people admit to knowing someone hit by cybercrime.

Here's a fact: good cybercrime prevention, awareness training, and cyber security will discourage criminals from hitting you and quickly move onto an easier mark.

Conclusion

The single greatest step towards cybersecurity any organisation can take is to train its employees in better habits. Get ready for the long haul, remember drink-driving campaign took 30 years. Book a 30 min chat


Articles of interest

Articles, links and connections from the BeSecureOnline site you might find interesting

  1. Even IT pros don't know where to start. Start here! 
  2. Learn more here about Inboxguard - Data Sheet
  3. 8 good reasons to use a proper password manager
  4. Phishing kills! How Phishing Works!
  5. German Insurer Allianz says  - Businesses fear a catastrophic IT failure the most
  6. Cybersecurity Essentials for Business
 
Comments are closed for this post, but if you have spotted an error or have additional info that you think should be in this post, feel free to contact us.

Subscription

Get the latest updates in your email box automatically.

Search

Archive