Desperate job seekers turn to hacking forums for work opportunities

Photo by Clint Patterson on Unsplash

Check Point Research said the backdrop for this trend is the increasing global unemployment rate due to the pandemic. "In the US, unemployment peaked to unprecedented levels in April 2020 at 14.8% before declining to 6.7% in December. In Europe unemployment rose from 6.5% to 7.5% over the course of the year."

"Unsurprisingly, the impact of the pandemic on the global economy has been dramatic. Most major economies have lost at least, if not more, than 2% of their GDP. The global stock markets have suffered dramatic falls due to the outbreak, and the Dow Jones reported its largest-ever single-day fall of almost 3,000 points on March 16, 2020," said Check Point Research.

However, it looks like the tables have turned. From the beginning of 2021, Check Point Research noticed that there was an increase in the number of individuals taking the initiative to send out ads seeking work. They have started observing 10-16 new ads being placed monthly in select hacking forums.

Turning to the dark

It is normally the vendors that are offering openings to those who are interested to apply within the darknet market and hacking forums. These job opportunities are arranged in a format similar to eBay and Amazon, complete with features like advanced reputation, search and shipping.

Two examples of ads on hacking forums:

Image supplied

Image supplied

Check Point Research explained that the darknet functions primarily as the black market of the internet and is typically involved in transactions involving drugs, cyber-weapons, forgery and more. "Unfortunately, in desperation, some job seekers are willing to participate in such illegal work if it means being able to earn an income."

"From our research, you can see that people from different parts of the world are offering their abilities, expertise and availability on these platforms. As countries grapple with the realities of a struggling global economy, it is important they also turn their attention to the underground job marketplace that is growing," Check Point Research said.