Cyber-arms industry

The cyber-arms industry are the markets and associated events[1] surrounding the sale of software exploits, zero-days, cyberweaponry, surveillance technologies,[2] and related tools[3] for perpetrating cyberattacks. The term may extend to both grey and black markets online and offline.[4]

For many years, the burgeoning dark web market remained niche, available only to those in-the-know or well-funded. Since at least 2005, governments including the United States, United Kingdom, Russia,[5] France, and Israel have been buying exploits from defence contractors and individual hackers.[6] This 'legitimate' market for zero-day exploits exists[4] but is not well advertised or immediately accessible.

Attempts to openly sell zero-day exploits to governments and security vendors to keep them off the black market have so far been unsuccessful.[7]

  1. ^ Hepher, Tim (15 June 2010). "Defense firms face cyber spying at arms bazaar". Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  2. ^ Appelbaum, Jacob (17 January 2015). "The Digital Arms Race: NSA Preps America for Future Battle". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  3. ^ Joseph Gross, Michael (July 2013). "Silent War". Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Markets for Cybercrime Tools and Stolen Data - Hackers' Bazaar" (PDF). rand.org/. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  5. ^ Corera, Gordon (29 April 2015). "Rapid escalation of the cyber-arms race". Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  6. ^ Joseph Gross, Michael (July 2013). "Silent War". Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  7. ^ Anderson, Nate (9 July 2009). "WabiSabiLabi wants to be the eBay of 0-day exploits". Retrieved 30 May 2015.