Cybercrime is so common and lucrative that cybercriminals have created organized networks to carry large-scale heists via the internet. Cybercriminals are hackers, programmers and other tech-savvy people who pool their skills and resources to commit major crimes that wouldn't otherwise be possible.

There are many cybercrime groups, and they can be either small or large. Some groups have a corporate feel with a leader and many members who fulfil specific roles.

Eliot Ness, his untouchable law enforcement team brought organized crime to justice during the days of Al Capone's mafia. Cyber security master's degrees can be used to capture and defend against organized cybercrime syndicates.

Organized Cyber Crime Examples

Bank Info Security reports that cybercriminals are continuing to adapt to find new ways to exploit sensitive business data or personal user information. Experts link a rise in cybercrimes to the COVID-19 epidemic. Fraudsters and scammers took advantage of the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, as well as the public's desire for information by sending false COVID-19 updates. Many of these updates were often sent with malware. Many of these attacks are carried out by cybercriminals.

In 2020, there were organized cybercrimes. This was unrelated to the pandemic. T-Mobile, a mobile phone carrier, said that many of its customers' personal data were compromised by coordinated Phishing attacks and phone scams. Magellan also announced that hackers stole personal financial information, as well as hundreds of thousands of patient logins, in May.

Types and levels of organized cybercrime

Cybercriminals are just like organized crime. They associate with criminal leaders who have the contacts and influence to pull off complex, far-reaching scams and hacks.

Cybercrime bosses are getting more proficient in illegal activities. This is confirmed by Steve Ranger, a tech writer.

What are the threats of organized cybercrime against banks, governments, and large corporations? Ranger has identified different cybercriminal organizations as well as their exploit techniques. 

This is a great place to start. These are:

• Hacktivists Some cybercriminals are motivated by a particular political or social agenda. Hacktivists are more concerned with embarrassing companies and publishing damning evidence. Hacktivists don't often want to rob their targets of money or assets.
• Terrorists The threat of terrorist acts increased significantly after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Terrorists Most terrorist groups lack the technical and financial resources to conduct major cyberattacks. According to the International Cyberterrorism Regulation project, terrorist cybercrime includes the publication of propaganda, psychological campaigns (such as beheading videos), intelligence sharing and other communication.
• Modern-day espionage still involves state-backed hackers. Recent history is full of examples of state-backed hacking campaigns. The Stuxnet worm hack was allegedly developed by the U.S. along with its allies in order to prevent Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons. China was accused of digital espionage involving U.S. industrial secrets. In 2020, hackers allegedly supported Russia and gained access to U.S. government networks as well as corporate networks by using software from SolarWinds.
• Blackmail can be used to target insiders by criminal organizations. This is done in order to obtain corporate secrets and sensitive data as well as passwords for secure networks. This could result in the theft of money or other information.
• Blurred lines There are many things in the real world that don't fit neatly into any one category. Hacking is a common cybercriminal activity.

Cybercrime is still dominated by opportunism. Ransomware is a hack that employs Trojan horse malware. It locks victims' computers until they pay a ransom.

Traditional criminal organizations have found high-tech ways to traffick old products and services.

The internet allows for anonymity as well as vice. Maxwell D. Marker, the FBI Transnational Organized Crime Section Chief, in a Police Chief Magazine article entitled "Organized Crime Has Gone High Tech." According to Marker, drug cartels and illegal gaming services, extortionists and prostitution rings are now selling their goods online and using deep web forums to make money.

Cybercriminals have joined forces to steal information, steal from and wreak havoc upon as many people and organizations as possible. They do this without any regard for victims and inflict maximum damage. Microsoft recently found a large criminal group that offered "phishing as a service" (PHaaS) to criminal clients. This isn't the only online criminal organization. To get people to sign up, they offer incentives such as free stolen credit cards and PII data. They prefer to pay via wire transfers or cryptocurrency, making it difficult to track them down. These criminal syndicates can be difficult to trace but not impossible to bring to justice because many of them operate from different countries.

Some examples

This criminal organization provides malicious website hosting services. They offer phishing email creation, delivery, tutorials about how to use the resources, and multiple templates for email. They can run large-scale phishing campaigns.

Hackers had gained access to hundreds of thousands of patient records, including sensitive personal data and login credentials. Hackers have made health care providers their number one target.

Many industries have been affected by the current pandemic as well as the labour shortage. Cybercriminals are working to make things worse. The technology has made agriculture and food supply chains more dependent upon it. As a result, cyber-attacks against them have increased dramatically. Cybercriminals can hack into automated agricultural systems such as those that analyze soil and apply fertilizers or chemicals. They can also cause damage to crops and dangerous levels of pesticides.

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What are they?

People claim to be "hacktivists" and engage in illegal activities for the greater good. 

These criminal syndicates are only interested in making large profits regardless of any negative consequences. Ransomware attacks were the victim of ransomware attacks that cost companies an average of $1.85million per year. Ransom payments exceeding $10 million were made to organizations involved in the worst ransomware attacks of 2021. One ransomware attack targeted an agricultural cooperative. Cybercriminal groups now target company insiders and offer them six-to seven-figure sums for ransomware installation on their employers' systems. 

These criminal organizations could be state-sponsored or linked to terrorist groups that seek to destroy critical infrastructure. These criminal syndicates target government agencies, medical providers, agricultural enterprises, supply chains, and other government agencies.

What's possible?

These attacks often use social engineering techniques such as phishing to their advantage. As technical controls are not able to stop all malicious emails, bad actors can take advantage of human weaknesses and tendencies. Effective cybersecurity training programs must be implemented.

Employers need to train managers and HR staff to identify and address disgruntled employees. Employers may also offer financial counselling to help employees who are struggling financially.

Public websites are often a source of too much information from companies. This information includes the names of key employees, their job titles, and contact information. Sites may also provide information about vendors or customers. This information can be used by criminals to obtain the data they need to launch social engineering attacks. Do not share too much on social networks or company websites.

It should comply with all applicable industry and regulatory standards. Role-based access control (RBAC) is essential to ensure employees have the resources they need in order to accomplish their tasks.

Backup systems to protect and secure critical data can quickly be used to recover from ransomware attacks or other attacks that cause the loss or denial of access to vital data.

If an organization is not in a position to develop and implement its own comprehensive cybersecurity training program or needs help with evaluating and deploying technical security controls and access policies, third-party providers of training and Sec-Ops-As-A-Service, such as.

This problem will not go away. These criminal organizations pose a threat to government agencies, such as law enforcement agencies or first responder agencies. They also have the potential to attack banks and other financial institutions, as well as the healthcare industry, agricultural organizations, and other targets. These recommendations do not have to be specific. Every organization should tailor its cybersecurity programs and infrastructure according to its specific needs. If you need assistance, there are qualified third-party providers who can provide security training and Sec-Ops-As-A-Service.

Sources:

https://www.difenda.com/the-high-tech-gangsters-of-organized-cyber-crime/

https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/cybercrime/module-13/key-issues/cyber-organized-crime_what-is-it.html

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200116123805.htm