Examining the Geographic Distribution of Victim Nations in Stolen Data Markets

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4828096
AutoresOlga Smirnova (0009-0007-1873-6533, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA, autor de correspondencia), Thomas J Holt (0000-0002-5894-0172, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA)
Año2017
Volumen61
Número11
Páginas1403-1426
Fecha de publicación2017-10-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Behavioral Scientist (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-7642 • E-ISSN: 1552-3381
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0002764217734270
OpenAlexW2763016461
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas11
Referencias citadas39

The growth of electronic commerce and malicious software tools designed to compromise various payment systems and computer networks has led to concurrent increase in data breaches, phishing, and hacking incidents targeting sensitive financial information. As a function of this increase, an underground market economy has developed around the sale of consumers' bank account details and other financial information. Recent research examining data markets operating on the Open Web demonstrate their basic functions and distribution of information sold. Emerging evidence suggests markets are now operating on the "Dark Web," or encrypted web sites operating on Tor-based networks. Little research to date has compared the distribution of victim nations in stolen data markets nor examined any variations between Open and Dark Web operations. This study utilizes a rational choice framework to examine this gap using a sample of 18 forums and 15 shops hosted on the Open Web and Tor. Using statistical analyses to examining the geography of victimization, this study provides a preliminary test of the applicability of rational choice theory to market operations

Business · Computer security · Distribution (mathematics) · Economics · Emerging markets · Encryption · Hacker · Information sensitivity · Internet privacy · Payment · Phishing · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies · Finance · Spam and Phishing Detection