Trend Micro today presents a report that delves into the English-speaking part of the cybercriminal world, which has recently gained increasing influence over companies worldwide in connection with an increasingly globalized underworld.

Then Trend Micro Last looked at in 2015, the English-speaking cybercrime underground market has undergone significant changes. This is in the form of technological advances, increased law enforcement efforts, and growing connections with non-English-speaking forums. To escape scrutiny from law enforcement, English-speaking forums have begun to merge with forums in other languages. This trend allows cybercriminals to operate in less regulated locations, creating a diverse and interconnected network of criminals.

– The results from the report are important for business leaders because they highlights critical changes in the threat landscape that directly affects organizational risk management, operational continuity and strategic planning, says Martin Fribrock, Sweden Manager at Trend MicroHere, managers and decision-makers need to realize that changing behavior among cybercriminals raises the overall cyber threat level for companies of all sizes and sectors.

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Globalized cybercrime requires advanced defense

Pressure from law enforcement agencies has driven English-speaking threat actors to collaborate across borders and merge forums with counterparts from Russia, China and other regions. The report shows, for example, how Russian and Ukrainian criminals groups tend to be the most technically sophisticated, while Nigerians excel at social engineering and phishing. The proliferation of multilingual cybercrime forums means that businesses are now exposed to a wider range of threat actors, often combining expertise from different geographies.

The possibility of purchasing cybercriminal acts as a service is increasing

Access-as-a-Service (AaaS) now accounts for 50 percent of the services available on the cybercriminal market. The availability of ransomware kit ready-to-use and templates for phishing attacks mean that even less skilled actors can buy the opportunity to carry out attacks.

Read more about the report from Trend Micro hereAlso visit Trend Micro Blog for more insights about cybersecurity.