EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Just as two major Dark Web marketplaces have been shut down (see yesterday’s post about AlphaBay and Hansa), reports indicate that an underground ecosystem that provides online curriculum to cyber criminals–to help sharpen their cyberfraud chops–is steaming along nicely.
Online tutorials on how to commit fraud, tools to scam victims, and other helpful elements to enrich the education of budding hackers are expected to drive as much as $24 billion in losses by the end of 2018.
One site charges 45,000 rubles ($745 USD) for tuition and $200 for course materials, payable with e-currencies like Bitcoin and Webmoney. For students of the cyber arts, this is an investment in their education and development. Reportedly, students can earn more than $3,000/month for just 10-12 hours of work per week. Plus, the course promises to keep them up to speed on the latest tactics.
Cyber criminals are increasingly drawn toward education and continuing education in order to keep up with changing security practices and consumers’ buying habits.
