In this article, I review various sources to show you the costs of hiring a hacker on the dark web. It is not intended to lure you into a life of crime but to showcase the latest findings and improve cyber security knowledge.
See: The Dark Web: A Guide for Business Professionals (Free PDF) (Tech Republic)
Hiring a hacker
Before I delve into the costs, just a quick word about how easy it is for the unscrupulous to find a hacker. According to research by an accounting and consulting firm do it“Hacker-for-hire services abound on the dark web.” Payments are usually made using cryptocurrency assets to ensure anonymity.
If you’re wondering how big the dark web is, the cybersecurity software company Avast explains, “Dark web statistics are difficult to measure, but it is estimated that there are tens of millions of URLs and tens of thousands of active dark web websites on the dark web, including thousands of forums and marketplaces. ”
These alarming facts mean that the recruitment process is going to be quite easy. There are many places to find hackers who are all willing to do unusual business.
See: Dell unveils AI and cybersecurity solutions at Microsoft Ignite 2024 (Tech Republic)
DDoS attacks
Hackers offering distributed denial-of-service attacks can charge as little as $10 or as much as $750. Based on data from Privacy Affairs Dark Web Price Index 2023$10 will buy you a DDoS attack on an “insecure website, 10-50k requests per second, 1 hour”.
If it were a “premium protected website”, a 24-hour attack would cost about $170.
Some hackers will charge for an hour or a month to keep the attack going for as long as the buyer wants.
Some hackers will alter search engine results to increase or decrease a site’s ranking. Others will remove the post that the buyer made on the social network. Some hackers will conduct a security audit of a website, ostensibly to show the owner that there are any vulnerabilities.
See: Cybersecurity: Benefits and Best Practices (TechRepublic Premium)
Personal attacks
Hackers specializing in personal attacks sell their services for anywhere from $10 to $600. A personal attack may involve financial ruin, legal trouble, or public infamy. One tactic used by a hacker is to frame the victim as a buyer of child pornography. Some hackers offer services like “scammer revenge” or “fraud tracking” in which they attack a scammer.
Analysis by Crowe, whose team faced a “menu of hacker-for-hire services,” suggests that gaining access to personal information, including addresses, phone numbers, emails and names of relatives, costs an average of $600. will come
The Dark Web Price Index 2023 says that a US passport scan can cost up to $50, which is the price of fake documents.
Website hacking
Website hacking involves attacks against websites and other services hosted online. Hackers can gain access to an underlying web server or a website’s administrative panel. Others can steal database and administrative credentials.
Crowe’s research shows that website and database hacks cost an average of $1,200. This type of activity can access the admin dashboard or backend.
Computer and phone hacking
Based on Crowe’s findings, a computer and phone hacking service runs an average of $950. In this type of attack, a hacker breaks into a victim’s PC or phone to steal data or deploy malware. The operating system doesn’t matter as they boast that they can access Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS.
See: Everything you need to know about the malvertising cybersecurity threat. (TechRepublic Premium)
Social media account hacking
Hacking a social media account can range from $20 to $500+. In this service, the hacker will spy or hijack accounts from platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Social Platform X, Instagram, Skype, Telegram, TikTok, Snapchat and Reddit. Malicious activity depends on the service. Criminals who hack into a victim’s Facebook or X account often steal credentials to give the buyer full access to the account. People who tap into an account from WhatsApp will likely spy on messages or take screenshots.
Email Hacking
Email hacks sell for $700 on average, according to Crowe’s data. In this activity, the hacker steals the victim’s email password and then gives that password to the buyer or hacks into the account to access the data. In some cases, the criminal can set up email forwarding to get a copy of all the victim’s emails.
See: Engaging Executives: How to Present Cybersecurity in a Way That Resonates (Tech Republic)
Changing grades
Students who want higher grades can actually pay someone to hack into the school system and change their grades. Available to both grad schools and universities, this is one of the most common and expensive hacking services. As a sideline, some hackers also say they can steal answers to future exams. So, this means that a student can get an A+ for test results but an F- for moral behavior.
According to Crowe, the hackers offer access to software grading databases maintained by universities. This type of service is not cheap. The average price is $1,600.
The result
As we can see from the range of threats and significantly lower prices, hacking threats require individuals and businesses to be constantly vigilant.
I recommend monitoring the Dark Web Price Index, as it is a useful resource that shows trending attacks.
Other steps you can take include: Employee awareness trainingstrong Antivirus measures, Penetration testingand even employing an ethical hacker to identify and address vulnerabilities in your organization.
Finally, and because light is our best intention, keep up with the latest cybersecurity news at TechRepublic and expand your knowledge with training courses here. Tech Republic Academy. There’s no reason to let the dark web darken your doorstep.