The Cybercrime Ecosystem by Eugene Kaspersky - Founder/CEO Kaspersky Lab

Cybercrime Is Here to Stay

Our society has evolved to the point where many if not most of us spend a significant portion of our lives online. In many ways, this online virtual world mirrors our real world. Criminals, who are an unfortunate but integral part of our social structure, quite naturally have also appeared in the virtual world. The presence of cyber criminals has become more pervasive today because the freely growing online exchange of money and data has created an increasingly tempting target. Today the cyber crime ecosystem is close to maturity - well defined relationships and business models are already in place. A new class of cybercriminals freely and openly buys and sells malicious code. These cybercriminals range from petty fraudsters who steal small sums in large quantities to individuals who attempt to steal large sums of money at one time.

Criminal activity has always mirrored legitimate business - the image of a Mafia accountant may be the first to come to mind. However, it is worth noting that cybercrime is not currently organized into one or more worldwide Mafia-like organizations with a "Dr. No" figure at the helm. Rather, it's an interdependent world based on groups who have complementary functionality. For example, the individual or group owning a botnet capable of launching DDoS attacks or distributing spam needs email addresses. Someone else, whom the botnet owner need not know or have other contact with, fills this need by stealing and selling the needed addresses. This business model in many ways mirrors the business model of legitimate businesses. Just as a motor production company's presence in an area spawns spin-off industries, such as carburetor manufacturers or nuts and bolts suppliers, cybercriminals need not be connected organizationally, but only for mutual economic benefit.

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