Cybercrimes Often Carried Out by Disorganized, Loose Confederation of Contractors

New Report Highlights Successful Ways of Undermining Cybercrime Ecosystems

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Feb 14, 2013, 08:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Most cybercrime is carried out by a loose confederation of independent contractors who work together when necessary through online forums and "partnerkas" that allow them to pool their resources, but these online criminal networks can be foiled, according to a new report released today by the Digital Citizens Alliance.

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The Digital Citizens report sheds light on how global organized crime leverages the Internet for scams and other schemes that hurt consumers. The report also highlights recent examples in which others have weakened the glue that binds these criminal communities together by undermining trust relationships, isolating and apprehending key members, and making it more difficult for them to receive payment for their crimes.

The "Tangled Web" report is the first in a series on cybercrime by Digital Citizens – an alliance of individuals, organizations and businesses dedicated to making the Internet safer and crime-free. For the full report, please go to www.digitalcitizensalliance.org.

Understanding how cybercriminals work together is an important part of combatting criminal activities on the Web. According to the report, cybercrime is not as organized as often believed. More frequent than not, the loose confederation of independent contractors work together only when mutually beneficial to all cooperating parties. This includes sharing best practices on how to secure the money stolen from digital citizens.

The report also points out that tackling counterfeits, content theft and intellectual property crime requires disrupting their channels of cooperation and payment. The third option – following the money and cutting off the payment source – is singled out as the easiest way to deter cybercriminals.

"The most uplifting part of this report are the examples of the digital community working with payment processors to stop and deter cybercrime," said Tom Galvin, executive director of Digital Citizens Alliance. "With this report, we want digital citizens to know that they play a significant role in combatting crime on the Web. It doesn't take just law enforcement. Anyone can help take down a cybercrime ecosystem through established reporting methods with payment card networks."

The key pillars that support most criminal commerce online, includes black market online bazaars, cybercrime joint ventures, and underground exchanges. Other report findings show that cybercriminals…

Work through Forums and "Partnerkas" (When Mutually Beneficial): These online forums allow independent actors to pool their resources, aimed at creating personal wealth, power and greater access to the tools that may further future online criminal schemes.
Diversify their Operations: Some of the most successful criminals are those who diversify their operations. An average crime forum member has ties to multiple types of illegal or illicit online enterprises.
Use Pharmacy, Malware, Counterfeiting, and Dating as Popular Schemes: Most forums feature a myriad of services for driving traffic to crime affiliate programs including rogue pharmacy sites, fake antivirus or ransomware affiliate programs, counterfeit software and prescription drugs, organized dating and reshipping scams, toll fraud and SMS billing schemes.

Digital Citizens Alliance is also available on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/4SaferInternet and Twitter at: https://twitter.com/4saferinternet.

About Digital Citizens Alliance
Digital Citizens is a consumer-oriented coalition focused on educating the public and policy makers on the threats that consumers face on the Internet and the importance for Internet stakeholders – individuals, government and industry - to make the Web a safer place. Based in Washington, DC, the Digital Citizens Alliance counts among its supporters: private citizens, the health, pharmaceutical and creative industries as well as online safety experts and other communities focused on Internet safety.

SOURCE Digital Citizens Alliance