Page 187 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2023

How Much Does Cybercrime Cost?

Loading up Tor, we took a dive into the digital underworld of .onion sites and forums, exploring official
reports and braving the murky corners of the dark web to gauge the cost of these unlawful digital deeds.
Everything we found was from just one evening of exploration. To maintain ethical boundaries, we've
chosen not to share links to these illicit services, but be assured that a chilling array of options are
available for prospective CaaS customers.

Interestingly, the dark web also provides escrow services that hold funds until the buyer is happy with
their underhanded 'purchase,' ensuring a somewhat bizarre level of customer service in these illicit
transactions.

Devious DDoS on Demand

Fancy crippling a website with a torrent of bogus traffic? It’s possible to commission a targeted Distributed
Denial of Service (DDoS) attack for just $5. If you're willing to shell out $500, you can ramp up the chaos
to a 24-hour onslaught potent enough to buckle most commercial servers. The fallout? Lost sales,
exhausted security personnel, and a battered reputation - a nightmare scenario, especially if timed to
coincide with peak traffic.

DDoS attacks are so powerful that they’re being used as weapons of war. In recent months, hackers with
ties to Russia have launched sophisticated cyberattacks against Ukrainian state services, notably
targeting the application known as "Diia." These attacks have been executed using a combination of
malware and phishing techniques. The Ukrainian defense and security agencies are among the most
vulnerable and primary targets of these cyber onslaughts.

Invading Personal Spaces

Your personal life is up for grabs in the shadowy marketplace of the dark web. Despite the existence of
legal background screening services, the dark web is rife with illicit offerings that promise to delve deeper
into a person's life, background, and financial details for a mere 120-200 USD.

The price tag for thieves might be low, but the cost to society adds up. One recent report concluded that
almost 42 million Americans had their identities compromised in 2021, and that the total cost to US
consumers was over $52 billion. Young people and the elderly are at increased risk, as are those whose
wealth makes them attractive targets for theft of any kind.

Social Media Mayhem

Should someone want to gain control over someone else's social media accounts, or recover their own
after a security mishap, the dark web provides this service for only 300 USD. This reality underscores

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2023 Edition 187
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