杏吧原创

LAST June, one of the world鈥檚 most advanced hacker groups hit a problem. The US defence contractor whose systems it wanted to access only allowed a small set of trusted IP addresses to connect to their network. In an unusual move 鈥� hackers typically go for the low-hanging fruit 鈥� the group hacked the company that provided the IP whitelisting service, enabling it to forge access certificates.

This group, which calls itself Hidden Lynx, was given a vague face last week when antivirus software-maker released a report profiling it. Believed to be based in China, the group is known only through traces of malicious software bearing its mark found in the compromised computers of some of the world鈥檚 largest companies.

Symantec estimates the group has 100 employees and says it has been operating for four years, specialising in attacks on financial and government institutions in the US. Chances are, the hackers will never be caught.

Steve Santorelli, a director of non-profit organisation 鈥� which monitors the internet鈥檚 criminal underbelly 鈥� says Hidden Lynx is typical of what has become a gigantic cybercrime industry, with professional hacker groups raking in millions of dollars around the world.

Hidden Lynx and others are for hire, and while their expertise comes at a price, Santorelli says it鈥檚 fairly easy to find them: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not because they overtly advertise, but because there is so much stuff on [online message board] . Whether they鈥檇 give you the time of day is another question.鈥�

The group is a boutique hacker organisation, says Symantec analyst Gavin O鈥橤orman. It uses sophisticated signed malware that the antivirus firm has only seen on rare, linked occasions.

鈥淪ome of the technology they are using is breathtaking,鈥� says Santorelli. 鈥淭hey are bleeding edge computer scientists making serious amounts of money.鈥�

China makes a particularly good base for hacking groups, says criminologist of the University of Southampton in the UK, because Western law enforcement has practically zero influence there. 鈥淚f you tell the Chinese authorities they have problems, they often turn around and say 鈥業s it affecting our citizens? If not then sorry, it鈥檚 nothing to do with us鈥�. 鈥�

Professional hacker groups are not restricted to illegal activities. O鈥橤orman points to , an Italian outfit which builds the commercial surveillance tool Da Vinci. 鈥淭here are a couple of companies that will offer not quite a hacking service, but will offer trojans and exploits which they claim they will only sell to law enforcement,鈥� he says.

The rise of large professional hacking groups like Hidden Lynx combined with the development of such borderline products means the average person has greater access to carrying out sophisticated computer attacks than ever before, says O鈥橤orman. What鈥檚 more, many of the sophisticated tools used by hackers have now leaked into underground marketplaces, where anyone can buy them, says Santorelli.

Professional hacking has reached a point where hacker high jinks are now looked down upon, he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a saying in these communities: no one makes any money if you break the internet.鈥�

聯Professional hackers look down on the exploits of the past: no one makes money if you break the internet聰

This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淗ackers for hire鈥�