cyber trends
Bromium cybercrime study: Bromium has
announced the findings of an independent
study that looked into the interconnected
dynamics of cybercrime
A GROUNDBREAKING STUDY,
COMMISSIONED BY BROMIUM,
HIGHLIGHTS AN EMERGENCE OF
‘PLATFORM CRIMINALITY’, EXPOSING
CYBERCRIMINAL LINKS TO DRUG
PRODUCTION, HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND TERRORISM.
B
romium, a pioneer
and leader in
virtualisation-
based endpoint
security that
stops advanced
malware attacks
via application isolation, has announced
the findings of an independent study
that looked into the interconnected
dynamics of cybercrime. The study
examined how new criminality platforms
and a booming cybercrime economy
have resulted in US$1.5 trillion in illicit
profits being acquired, laundered,
spent and reinvested by cybercriminals.
Complete findings were presented at the
RSA Conference in San Francisco by
researcher Dr Michael McGuire, Senior
Lecturer in Criminology at the University
of Surrey in England.
This is one of the first studies to view the
dynamics of cybercrime through the lens
of revenue flow and profit distribution
18
Study
highlights
emergence
of ‘platform
criminality’
and not solely on the well-understood
mechanisms of cybercrime. The new
research exposes a cybercrime-based
economy and the professionalisation
of cybercrime. This economy has
become a self-sustaining system – an
interconnected web of profit that blurs
the lines between the legitimate and
illegitimate. The research points to
an emergence of platform criminality,
mirroring the platform capitalism
model currently used by companies
like Uber and Amazon, where data is
the commodity. The report also raises
concerns about new criminality models
that these platforms enable, which fund
broader criminal activities such as
human trafficking, drug production and
distribution and even terrorism.
Gregory Webb, CEO of Bromium, said:
“The findings of Dr McGuire’s research
provide shocking insight into just how
widespread and profitable cybercrime
has become. The platform criminality
model is productising malware and
making cybercrime as easy as shopping
online. Not only is it easy to access
Issue 04
|
www.intelligentciso.com