A new report from Intel Security has shone a light on the murky world of Dark Web cybercrime markets, where everything from £1 Netflix accounts to access to critical infrastructure is available.
A division of security giant McAfee Labs has uncovered a cybercrime underground that mimics the real world, with sellers offering guarantees on stolen cards and "notorious" members of illegal forums being named and stigmatized.
Stolen credit and debit cards start at just $5 in the US, while online video services are even cheaper, starting at just $0.55.
Payment card information is abundant, with the basic package including account number, CV2 and expiry date. Prices increase for additional information, such as bank account ID, date of birth and billing address, which allow the cybercriminal to carry out more types of fraud.
Other data bought and sold on these sites includes bank log-ins, payment service account details, and even trusted card details, Intel Security said.
Hackers are still selling the means to carry out cyberattacks on large companies or critical infrastructure systems.
The company's EMEA CTO, Raj Samani, argued that these underground markets are extremely volatile, with the recent spate of data breaches leading to a huge price drop.
Escaping scenarios where they hide in anonymous platforms like Tor, many of these markets are easy to find, Samani added.
Nevertheless, businesses should take a more active role in investing in advanced intelligence tools to clean both the surface and Dark Web of signs of stolen data.
“You can’t work to protect and recover information if you don’t know it’s been stolen,” Samani argued. “Any measure to protect valuable business information from falling into the wrong hands is a step in the right direction.”
