The Dark Web is home to illegal and criminal products and services up for sale — and that certainly encompasses the area of cybercrime. From website hacking to DDoS attacks to custom malware to changing school grades, you can buy one of these services from a hacker for hire. But just how much do these types of items cost?
In this article, I examine various sources to show you the costs of hiring a hacker on the Dark Web. The idea is not to tempt you into a life of crime but to reveal the latest findings and improve your cybersecurity knowledge.
SEE: The Dark Web: A Guide for Business Professionals (Free PDF) (TechRepublic)
Hiring a hacker
Before I examine the costs, just a brief word on how easy it is for nefarious individuals to find a hacker. According to research from accounting and consulting firm Crowe, “hacker-for-hire services are available in abundance on the Dark Web.” Payments are usually made using cryptocurrency assets to provide the highest level of anonymity.
If you’re wondering how big the Dark Web is, then cybersecurity software company Avast explains, “It’s difficult to measure dark web statistics, but it’s estimated that there are tens of millions of URLs on the dark web and tens of thousands of active dark web websites, including thousands of forums and marketplaces.”
These alarming facts mean the recruitment process is going to be fairly easy. There are many places to find hackers who are all eager to do unseemly business.
SEE: Dell Unveils AI and Cybersecurity Solutions at Microsoft Ignite 2024 (TechRepublic)
DDoS attacks
Hackers who offer distributed denial-of-service attacks can charge as low as $10 or as high as $750. Based on data from Privacy Affairs’ Dark Web Price Index 2023, $10 would buy you DDoS attacks on an “Unprotected website, 10-50k requests per second, 1 hour.”
If it were a “premium protected website,” then a 24-hour attack would cost around $170.
Some hackers will charge by the hour or even by the month to maintain an attack for as long as the buyer wants.
Certain hackers will change search engine results to raise or lower a site’s rankings. Others will remove a post that the buyer made on a social network. Some hackers will audit a website’s security, seemingly to show the owner where any vulnerabilities exist.
SEE: Cybersecurity: Benefits and Best Practices (TechRepublic Premium)
Personal attacks
Hackers specializing in personal attacks sell their services for $10 to over $600. A personal attack could include financial sabotage, legal trouble, or public defamation. One tactic touted by a hacker is to frame the victim as a buyer of child pornography. A few hackers offer such services as “scammer revenge” or “fraud tracking,” in which they attack a scammer.
Analysis from Crowe, whose team encountered a “hacker-for-hire services menu,” states that gaining access to personal information, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and relatives’ names will, on average, cost $600.
The Dark Web Price Index 2023 says a U.S. passport scan could cost as low as $50, which is the price of forged documents.
Website hacking
Website hacking includes attacks against websites and other services hosted online. Hackers can access an underlying web server or a website’s administrative panel. Others can steal databases and administrative credentials.
Crowe’s investigation reveals that website and database hacking costs, on average, $1,200. This kind of activity might entail gaining access to the admin dashboard or backend.
Computer and phone hacking
Based on Crowe’s findings, a computer and phone hacking service runs $950 on average. In this type of attack, the hacker breaks into the victim’s PC or phone to steal data or deploy malware. The operating system doesn’t seem to 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 into a social media account can range from $20 to $500+. In this service, the hacker will spy on or hijack accounts from such platforms as WhatsApp, Facebook, social platform X, Instagram, Skype, Telegram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Reddit. The malicious activity depends on the service. Criminals who hack into a victim’s Facebook or X account will often steal credentials to give the buyer full access to the account. Those who tap into an account from WhatsApp will likely spy on messages or take screenshots.
Email hacking
According to Crowe’s data, email hacking sells for $700 on average. In this activity, the hacker steals the victim’s email password and then either gives that password to the buyer or breaks into the account to access data. In some cases, the criminal may set up an email forwarded process to get a copy of all the victim’s emails.
SEE: Engaging Executives: How to Present Cybersecurity in a Way That Resonates (TechRepublic)
Changing grades
Students who want a higher grade can actually pay someone to hack into a school system and alter their grades. Available for both grade schools and universities, this is one of the most common hacking services and one of the most expensive. As a sideline, some hackers also say they can steal the answers to future exams. So, that means a student can get an A+ for exam results but an F- for ethical behavior.
According to Crowe, hackers offer access to databases for grading software managed by universities. This kind of service isn’t cheap; the average cost is $1,600.
Conclusion
As we can see from the range of threats and remarkably low prices, the dangers of hacking require individuals and businesses to remain constantly vigilant.
I recommend monitoring the Dark Web Price Index, as it’s a useful resource that shows trending attacks.
Other actions you can take can include employee awareness training, robust antivirus measures, penetration testing, and even employing an ethical hacker to proactively identify and address vulnerabilities in your organization.
Finally, and because illumination is our noble intention, keep up with the latest cybersecurity news at TechRepublic and boost your knowledge with training courses at TechRepublic Academy. There’s no reason to let the Dark Web darken your doorstep.
