Over 120,000 Computers Compromised: My Deep Dive into the World of Cybercrime Forums
There's a heavy silence in the room, punctuated only by the rhythmic tapping of my keyboard. As a cybersecurity researcher, I've seen my fair share of threats and malicious activities. But today, I've come across something that's made me sit up a little straighter in my chair. Over 120,000 computers , from private users to corporate machines, have been compromised. The common thread? Cybercrime forums. The Start of the Trail A few months ago, I began tracing the activities of certain malware strands known as "info stealers". These malicious software variants are designed to stealthily extract sensitive information from a compromised computer. This can range from usernames and passwords to confidential files, and in some cases, banking details. During my analysis, I noticed that several of these info stealers shared eerily similar code structures, suggesting that they might be originating from a common source. The trail led to a place that some might ca...