Content material warning: Due to the character of a few of the actions we found, this sequence of articles accommodates content material that some readers might discover upsetting. This contains profanity and references to medication, drug dependancy, playing, pornography, violence, arson, and intercourse work. These references are textual solely and don’t embrace pictures or movies.
Following on from the third chapter of our five-part investigation into what cybercriminals do with their earnings, we now study numerous types of enterprise and revenue era which can be, in threat-actor parlance, ‘black’ (unlawful).
We acknowledge that legality can fluctuate relying on jurisdiction. Nevertheless, the breadth and depth of those actions are such that we’ve to categorize them in some way, and utilizing the risk actors’ personal classes is a logical if imperfect alternative.
Key findings of Half 4
- As in our earlier experiences, we recognized a variety of enterprise pursuits on this class (outright felony actions, dubbed ‘black’ on the boards)
- In some circumstances, the felony enterprise pursuits we found had been comparatively low-level: fraud, pyramid schemes, and faux items
- Nevertheless, different discussions appeared to narrate to extra severe felony exercise, together with counterfeit gold and foreign money, controlling prostitution, cultivating marijuana, tax evasion, and insider buying and selling
- We additionally famous that reinvesting in cybercrime could be a sexy possibility for risk actors with cash to spend. We noticed a number of funding alternatives and proposals referring to cybercrime
- In some circumstances, discussion board discussions revealed info and pictures that might doubtlessly be used to trace, geolocate, and/or establish risk actors.
Fraud and theft
Bots
We noticed a low-level fraud scheme involving the creation of a number of accounts to carry out “duties” beneath a distinguished firm’s rewards program. The risk actor suggested utilizing an “automation extension” to carry out the duties, and redeeming the earnings as reward playing cards. In addition they supplied recommendation on avoiding the detection of a number of accounts.
Pyramid schemes
We noticed a number of threads referring to pyramid schemes and scams, together with:
- “A outstanding approach that lets you earn a considerable 3% curiosity per day in your base quantity…the complete funding and withdrawal course of is carried out in USDT [the Tether stablecoin]…doubtlessly permitting you to maintain your earnings with out the burden of taxes”
- An funding alternative in a pyramid scheme (i.e., to assist function the scheme, not an try to sucker discussion board customers into it)
- A number of makes an attempt to truly sucker discussion board customers into pyramid schemes/multilevel advertising applications – one “within the on-line coaching area of interest,” one other that the advertiser famous was “a well-known pyramid…but it surely actually works,” and an old style get-rich-quick scheme.
Determine 1: A risk actor tries to recruit different customers to an “associates program…[for] anybody who desires to generate income promoting well-liked academic merchandise”
Artificial identities
We famous a number of guides on creating ‘CPNs’ (Credit score Privateness Numbers) to ascertain artificial identities (typically often known as ‘ghosts’) to use for loans and bank cards, purchase automobiles, and launder cash – or to promote to folks as a part of fraud campaigns.
Determine 2: A part of an in depth information on CPNs on a felony discussion board
Refunds
One risk actor described a low-level scheme to fraudulently declare refunds from sports activities attire firms, by claiming that deliveries didn’t arrive. The consumer outlined the scheme, offering recommendation on:
- The way to behave on the location when ordering
- The optimum worth of products to order
- The way to report the ‘failed’ supply
- The way to socially engineer buyer assist staff
- The way to combine authentic and fraudulent orders to keep away from “burning” your handle and account.
Determine 3: A risk actor outlines a low-level refund rip-off
Categorized adverts
One other risk actor supplied a information to a low-level rip-off on Avito (a Russian labeled adverts market), whereby customers submit fraudulent listings, obtain cash from a purchaser, however don’t ship the merchandise and as an alternative get the customer banned from the platform. The submit contains recommendation on the scheme, the right way to create a sexy itemizing, and the right way to set a worth.
Intercourse work
Laundering
In a thread itemizing a number of concepts for cash laundering, a risk actor urged: “Recruit (actual or pretend) escorts to ship you money of your individual cash after they declared their ‘revenue’ from intercourse work…the prostitute concept is within the Canadian context since prostitution is authorized to promote, not purchase.” One other concept from the identical consumer: “Faux you’re a hooker your self.”
In an analogous vein, a consumer claiming to be from Australia famous in one other thread that since prostitution is authorized there, that they had the concept of “pretending to be an escort to scrub money.”
Determine 4: A risk actor proposes pretending to be a male escort to launder cash
Controlling prostitution
A risk actor urged making a “job web site for escort women” – the place “severe escort businesses…even brothels” can join with “women who wish to go to enterprise, however there is no such thing as a ticket there for the prepare from the village or for the airplane to Dubai or anything.”
Some customers picked minor holes on this plan (rivals, difficulties in promoting visitors to the location), with one arguing: “Why such a problem, if you happen to actually wish to do pussy, you make webcam studios.”
Determine 5: A risk actor proposes making a “job web site for escort women,” sparking a protracted dialogue about intercourse work
One consumer stated: “I’ve the chance to arrange my very own brothel in Sochi…the Sochi cops are negotiable and gained’t take very a lot…However it’s important to make investments a ton.”
In the identical thread, we additionally noticed the next disturbing remark:
The ladies will have to be trampled down, instilled in them with the concept that they’re no one and nothing and solely beneath your safety can they in some way earn one thing. This can be particularly evident within the prostitution enterprise, the place the best and most conventional manner of controlling feminine staff is to make them drug dependent.
Stolen and counterfeit items
Counterfeit gold
A risk actor sought a enterprise companion with “an energetic eBay vendor account” as a result of they “have a big provide of counterfeit gold and have been promoting it…the issue is…opening up new accounts.”
Determine 6: A risk actor seeks assist promoting “a big provide of counterfeit gold,” which they declare to have already been doing for some time
Pretend items
A risk actor sought recommendation on the right way to pretend the nation of origin for cheaply purchased Chinese language items that they deliberate to promote on-line. Alongside comparable strains, we famous a scheme to create a web-based store and “promote excessive class fakes.” Different customers suggested them to “attempt to undergo moderation of merch as second hand…they won’t ask for invoices.” The identical consumer supplied in depth element on their very own experiences.
Historic artifacts
In by far probably the most weird thread we found, a risk actor claimed to have “discovered some pharaonic and coptic monuments [i.e., Ancient Egyptian artifacts]…solely two folks find out about its location. We wish to promote it, however we don’t know the way…to deal with the cargo and the proper place to promote in an public sale (black market).” The consumer uploaded two photographs of what gave the impression to be a sarcophagus mendacity on bubble wrap.
Determine 7: A risk actor claims to have “some pharaonic and coptic [sic] monuments” that they wish to “promote in an public sale (black market)”
Some customers expressed curiosity in buying; others beneficial technique of verifying age/authenticity. One consumer claimed that that they had been to Egypt for the same job and will put the sellers in contact with a authentic purchaser “who will purchase it instantly after his knowledgeable confirms.”
Medication
Hashish
One risk actor said that “we’ve direct enterprise relations with an American firm that legally grows and sells marijuana within the US.” The consumer famous that the enterprise is in search of lead turbines and buyers, with lead turbines getting 10% of revenue (“revenue is often $1000-$4000 per day”).
We additionally noticed a information on the right way to develop 25kg of hashish in 4 months. The consumer outlined prices, together with $7,000 for hydroponics, $1,500 for fertilizer, $12,000 to hire a home, and $1,700 a month for lighting. “The typical price of 25 kilograms of excellent grass wholesale is $50,000…promoting is straightforward and protected…by no means fascinating to the cops – in court docket you’ll have to show the actual fact of the sale.”
Determine 8: A risk actor posts a tutorial on rising hashish, the gear wanted, and expenditure
Medication and carders
As famous in the primary article on this sequence, we famous an admission from a risk actor that they’ve given cocaine and capsules to cybercriminals, in change for stolen bank card particulars.
Determine 9: A felony discussion board consumer admits to giving cybercriminals “cocaine or capsules” in change for stolen bank card particulars
Tax evasion
We noticed an in depth dialogue on tax evasion strategies, together with particular steerage on tax evasion versus cash laundering; utilizing “a corrupt, overseas financial institution” versus false reporting; hiring “specialised attorneys” and extra.
Determine 10: A part of an in depth dialogue on tax evasion on a felony discussion board
Insider buying and selling
One risk actor claimed to have an insider in a distinguished know-how agency, who beneficial investing huge cash after “the corporate made some main modifications…they need to double their inventory worth in 12-16 months.”
Determine 11: A risk actor claims to have an insider inside a distinguished know-how firm
One other risk actor suggested others “to not gamble on the inventory market…getting inside data is the one manner…if hacking teams give a heads up on which firm’s paperwork they’re going to leak you should purchase put contracts on the corporate and revenue on inventory taking place.”
In the identical vein, one other consumer requested about shorting shares of firms affected by ransomware assaults, and puzzled if ransomware operators have thought-about doing this. Most customers stated this was viable, though others had been extra uncertain (“You’ll appeal to regulatory authorities for insider buying and selling”).
In the identical thread, risk actors additionally mentioned different varieties of assault (DDoS and web site defacements), together with their attainable impacts on inventory worth and whether or not it will be price shorting the inventory. A consumer urged utilizing web optimization, deepfakes, and AI-generated articles to drive down the inventory costs of attacked firms additional.
On one other thread, a risk actor claimed to “promote insider info effectively prematurely of the massive strikes out there for some cryptocurrencies. I often work with funding firms, however a few of you could have an honest quantity of cryptocurrencies, and I consider that I may be of nice assist to you.”
Reinvesting in cybercrime
Throughout our analysis, we famous many risk actors asking their friends what they need to make investments their cash in, and replies comparable to “make investments it within the enterprise that introduced you this revenue. It’s apparent.” Reinvesting in cybercrime could also be engaging to risk actors who’ve ‘paid their dues’ and profited – they will spend money on a brand new mission in a well-recognized discipline, and reap the rewards whereas being uncovered to much less threat.
Malware and phishing
We noticed a number of funding alternatives in in-progress/in-development malware and campaigns, together with an funding alternative ($1,000-2,000) in an Android botnet, with the flexibility to steal bank card data, spam contacts, ahead incoming calls, launch customized apps, and intercept incoming SMS messages. A screenshot was included.
We additionally famous:
- An funding alternative ($3,000-5,000) to open a retailer for botnet logs (i.e., stolen information from infostealers)
- An funding alternative ($5,000) in a Telegram phishing instrument/marketing campaign
- A imprecise proposal referring to an MT103 (a protocol utilized in SWIFT) staging server (“I’m in search of cooperation with a darkish internet developer…we’ve a deal for 10 million {dollars}”).
Determine 12: A risk actor seeks funding to create their very own “botnet logs retailer”
Determine 13: A screenshot of a Telegram phishing platform, included as a part of a pitch to potential buyers on a felony discussion board
DDoS
We noticed a chance (ROI: 30% of revenue) to spend money on a year-old DDoS-related mission (the consumer insisted that this was not a rip-off, pointing to their fame and lack of arbitration complaints, and the truth that they had been keen to debate circumstances privately).
SIM-swapping
We noticed an funding alternative (ROI: 20% of every cashout) in sim-swapping. “I’ve crypto logins and financial institution logins with cash, my final step is sim-swapping.”
Crowdfunding
One risk actor proposed launching a crowdfunding platform on Tor “for gray/black matters.” Different customers gave the impression to be eager in precept, however famous that the platform would wish to each guarantee anonymity and forestall scams. One consumer urged sensible contracts as a attainable resolution.
Determine 14: A risk actor proposes a “darknet” crowdfunding platform for felony actions, likening the precept to Kickstarter
Counterfeit foreign money
A risk actor proposed a scheme whereby they would offer different customers with counterfeit US foreign money to launder, earlier than giving the OP a share. The OP urged $400 (4 $100 payments) to begin, later rising to hundreds. The counterfeit payments allegedly had a number of serial numbers, watermarks, safety strips, optically variable ink, and handed the “pen check” (a technique to detect counterfeit payments through a particular ink), however didn’t work in ATMs and wanted to be aged and handled earlier than use.
One other consumer outlined a plan for counterfeit payments, and supplied particulars on their digital and bodily OPSEC measures. The latter included:
- By no means utilizing the payments in retail shops, solely at bodily meet-ups (e.g., Craigslist transactions)
- Going from metropolis to metropolis
- By no means utilizing cash for trivial issues like inns, meals, fuel
- Promoting the illicitly acquired objects in several nations
Determine 15: A risk actor goes into vital element concerning their plan to distribute counterfeit payments
Potential assault
Lastly, we noticed a very disturbing thread, though it was (in all probability intentionally) very imprecise. A risk actor requested the cryptic query: “Has anybody encountered or maybe heard of individuals being intimidated by voices? An individual is combined with some substance after which he begins to have extreme issues.”
Determine 16: A risk actor posts an uncommon query on a felony discussion board
One other consumer responded:
You need to use a ‘fact serum’ (scopolamine or analogues, accessible on the darknet)…the individual himself will quit all the things and let you know all the things. In actual life, I noticed a profitable theft utilizing scopolamine, the person did all the things he was requested to do – he took the paperwork and laptop computer out of the home, he withdrew cash from the ATM, he himself entered passwords in banking. Watch out about dosing.
Scopolamine (prescribed to handle, amongst different issues, nausea and vomiting attributable to movement illness or surgical anesthesia) is thought to have been used for theft, and allegedly additionally to facilitate kidnappings and sexual assaults.
Over the previous 4 articles, we’ve explored a wide selection of enterprise pursuits, starting from the innocuous (digitizing VHS tapes and making a cell health app) to the downright felony (curiosity in working a brothel, counterfeit payments, rising hashish) and just about all the things in between. However what does this imply for the cybersecurity trade, regulation enforcement, and society as an entire?
Within the concluding chapter of this sequence, we’ll study the implications, challenges, and alternatives of risk actors transferring past the cyber kill chain.
