Ransomware Sales On the Dark Web Spike 2,502% In 2017 (carbonblack.com) 23
Slashdot reader rmurph04 writes:
Ransomware is a $6.2 million industry, based on sales generated from a network of more than 6,300 Dark Web marketplaces that sell over 45,000 products, according to a report released Wednesday by cybersecurity firm Carbon Black.
While the authors of the software are earning six-figure incomes, ransom payments totalled $1 billion in 2016, according to FBI estimates -- up from just $24 million in 2015. Carbon Black, which was founded by former U.S. government "offensive security hackers," argues that ransomware's growth has been aided by "the emergence of Bitcoin for ransom payment, and the anonymity network, Tor, to mask illicit activities.. Bitcoin allows money to be transferred in a way that makes it nearly impossible for law enforcement to 'follow the money.'"
While the authors of the software are earning six-figure incomes, ransom payments totalled $1 billion in 2016, according to FBI estimates -- up from just $24 million in 2015. Carbon Black, which was founded by former U.S. government "offensive security hackers," argues that ransomware's growth has been aided by "the emergence of Bitcoin for ransom payment, and the anonymity network, Tor, to mask illicit activities.. Bitcoin allows money to be transferred in a way that makes it nearly impossible for law enforcement to 'follow the money.'"
Makes you wonder... (Score:2)
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According to the installer, I'm using the most secure Windows, so I'm good.
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(â_â)
( â_â)>-@-@
(-@-@)
(blasted lack of Unicode support!)
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I don't get the Trump reference [youtube.com] in this context.
Trump lewd conversation about women Donald Trump On Tape: I Grab Women "By The Pussy”
Question (Score:2)
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Bitcoin is the opposite of anonymous. Every transaction is public. If you make even one transaction with another payment system or purchase something from a store that can prove who you are, then that account is unmasked. Every transaction done through that account in past can then be identified as yours. A very bad system to use for criminals. It is inevitable that they will eventually be identified through it. The hackers behind the MtGox collapse were identified in part through this mechanism, and they
Protection racket & Exaggeration of Reality (Score:1)
The government acts as though its solely able to protect us in face of overwhelming evidence its neither competent to do so nor able. Then on the other side steals money from those who wish not pay for this service. The left acts as though the world would collapse without humanity paying this extortion.
The reality here is extortion existed long before the internet and the only difference was more or less who was behind it. Now the Russian government or its handlers anyway have its hand in it too. The idea B
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Apparently they didn't have Tor or Bitcoin in 2015, so that explains why the ransomware industry grew from $24 million to over a billion in 2016!
And it couldn't have anything at all to do with the leaks of hacking tools/exploits/vulnerabilities from the NSA whose job is supposedly to help keep the US secure.
Thanks, NSA!
Strat