Malware for Sale on the Dark Web

Malware for Sale on the Dark Web

In this article, we are going to take a look at what is available in the marketplaces where cyber criminals go shopping for malware: the underground forums on the dark web where anything and everything to do with malicious code can be had for a price. While we are not going to name any of these forums or provide links, for obvious reasons, we are going to examine the type of products that can be found for sale on them.

All the Tools a Digital Criminal Needs

While there are still some people who develop malware purely for the fun of it, most developers are focused on making a profit. They create malicious code and the vehicles to transport it to target computers, and then sell these tools on the dark web to anybody who is willing to pay. While there are many different types of malware and delivery mechanisms available on underground sites, the following are among the most commonly found:

• Crypters – One of the first problems that new cyber criminals encounter is getting their malicious code to install on victims’ PCs. Modern anti-virus and anti-malware software is very sophisticated and stops most malicious payloads well before they have the chance to do any serious damage. Crypters are tools designed to encrypt malicious code, thereby allowing it to slip unnoticed past the defences that have been erected by PC users and network administrators all over the world.
• Binders – Another method that is commonly used to get malware onto target computers unnoticed is by binding it to legitimate programs. When these legitimate applications are installed, the malware is installed alongside them. Binders are freely available on many underground forums, along with the above-mentioned crypters, making life much easier for prospective cyber criminals today.
• Zero-Day Exploits – Somewhat rarer than the above two examples but still spotted often enough to warrant inclusion in our list are what industry experts call zero-day exploits. These are malicious code packages that are designed to target vulnerabilities in applications that have only just been discovered and are therefore not yet known to the vendor of the programs in question. This type of malware has the potential to be particularly effective as it targets weaknesses that have only just been discovered.
• Custom Malware – Custom malware is exactly what it sounds like: tools that are created to achieve a specific aim specified by the customer. The length of time that it takes to develop such tools will depend on their complexity and the skill of the programmers involved but cyber criminals looking for this type of malware will obviously have to exercise a little more patience than those who purchase ‘off-the-shelf solutions’.

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