Examining the Forces Shaping Cybercrime Markets Online

Malicious software is increasingly used by hackers and attackers in order to acquire sensitive information and compromise various systems. The sophistication of these tools has increased to such a point that individuals now sell various programs and services through electronic markets where data can be bought and sold. There is, however, minimal research examining the social dynamics that structure the relationships between buyers and sellers and the nature of the market dynamics overall. This study addresses this gap in the literature through a qualitative investigation of a sample of threads from 10 publicly accessible Russian Web forums that facilitate the distribution of malware and attack tools. The findings indicate that price, customer service, and trust influence the relationships between actors in this market and influence the nature of exchanges in these forums. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.