That’s only partly true. Business Insider released an interesting list that tells you how much it costs to get different accounts hacked. According to the page hacking a generic website is quite expensive when compared to the other options: You’ll have to pay as much as $2000 to get it done. Getting Facebook account access is a lot cheaper with only $350 and the one for Gmail would only cost you $90. One popular hacker apparently even offers to boost Yelp reviews!
Let’s face it. If you know the right search terms you’ll be able to find almost everything. “While it’s well-known that the dark web offers black market marketplaces for things like drugs and firearms, so too are there places where hackers offer up their skills for a fee. These hackers-for-hire offer a wide-ranging menu of services, many of which are likely not legal, “ writes Business Insider, and one of the pages offering some of the services reads: “Hiring a hacker shouldn’t be a difficult process, we believe that finding a trustworthy professional hacker for hire should be a worry free and painless experience.”
Hacking as something for the mass market? Of course – hackers-for-hire would come in handy if you really need to break into your own accounts; but how often does that really happen? While the above site states in their Terms of Use that “you agree to act responsibly in a manner demonstrating the exercise of good judgment. For example and without limitation, you agree not to: violate any applicable law or regulation, infringe the rights of any third party, including, without limitation, intellectual property, privacy, publicity or contractual rights, etc.” one can only wonder how legitimate the requests made are in the end.
If there is one thing we can take from all of this, it’s that account safety should be takes more serious than ever.
This post is also available in: German
