Holiday deal hunting mirrored by dark web behavior
Just as shoppers heading online for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals a new report from Bitdefender uncovers interesting parallels with behavior on dark web marketplaces.
Cybercriminals too, it seems, browse for the best deals on an assortment of unconventional goods and services. In a digital underground that mirrors traditional e-commerce in many ways, these markets cater to buyers with specific -- and often illegal needs.
Dark web deals on offer include fake IDs for as little as $25, these come complete with matching selfies, perfect for slipping past bank and fintech verification. Criminals can buy social media followers and likes as well as details of stolen streaming accounts for sites like Netflix.
There are physical products on offer too, these include counterfeit currency, products from poached animals, such as rhino horn, drugs, and even the odd rocket launcher!
The dark web marketplace also mirrors legitimate eCommerce in having customer reviews -- after all you wouldn't want to deal with a cyber criminal you didn't trust.
Payments are a little different, rather than PayPal and Apple Pay cryptocurrency is king with Bitcoin and Monero being the two most popular choices.
The report's authors note, "Bitdefender's cybercrime unit has covert access to many of these markets and has infiltrated several cybercriminal groups to help global law enforcement disrupt illegal operations. This access also gives the public unique insights into the underworld subculture to help better protect their data, finances, and identity."
You can read more on the Bitdefender site.
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