NEW DELHI: Black markets that sell computer hacking tools and services like stolen credit card numbers continue to grow, posing a growing hazard to governments, businesses and individuals, a study by RAND Corporation said.

The global study, Markets for Cyber crime Tools and Stolen Data: Hackers' Bazaar, was sponsored by IT and computer networking firm Juniper Networks.

The report states that black and gray markets for hacking tools, services and byproducts are growing in size and complexity.

"The hacker market, once a varied landscape of discrete, ad hoc networks of individuals initially motivated by little more than ego and notoriety, has emerged as a playground of financially driven, highly organized and sophisticated groups," it said.

In certain respects, black market can be more profitable than the illegal drug trade. The links to end-users are more direct and because worldwide distribution is accomplished electronically, the requirements are negligible, it added.

"RAND's report, confirmed by Juniper's vast experience in the network security ecosystem, suggests that cyber black markets are a mature and growing multi-billion-dollar economy with a robust infrastructure and social organization.

RAND report reveals that cyber black markets, like any other economy, react to market forces like supply and demand, and continue to evolve.

"Like other forms of e-commerce, many data records, exploit kits and goods are bought and sold from storefronts, which can encompass everything from instant messaging chat channels and forums to sophisticated stores," it said.

RAND's study found that some organizations can reach 70 to 80,000 people, with a global footprint that brings in hundreds of millions of dollars.

The study said that not only goods, but criminal services are also available for purchase.

"These tools, sold on the black market as traditional software or leased like any other managed service, can help enable the most unskilled hackers to launch fairly elaborate and advanced attacks," the study said.

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