Dark web marketplaces facilitate collaboration between cybercrime amateurs, pros

Easily accessible plug-and-play malware and ransomware attacks in dark web markets have enabled even the least-skilled cybercriminals to launch sophisticated operations, VentureBeat reports. HP Wolf Security researchers examined more than 35 million cybercrime marketplace and forum postings and found that malware is often bundled with malware-as-a-service, mentoring services, and tutorials, with 76% of malware and 91% of exploits being sold for lower than $10. The study also showed that darknet Tor websites only had an average lifespan of 55 days, with cybercriminals establishing methods that would make them recognizable on other sites. Easier access to malware may prompt more sophisticated and efficient attacks, with threat actors poised to conduct more severed data-denial attacks and increasingly target IoT, according to HP Senior Malware Analyst Alex Holland. Such threats should prompt organizations to implement patch management and multi-factor authentication, attack surface mitigation, and incident response planning, as well as engage in increased real-time intelligence with other organizations, Holland added.