By Michael Kassner
November 14, 2011, 8:23 AM PST

Takeaway: Those who steal our financial information are able to conduct
business in underground markets, but how does this “Underweb” criminal
network operate? Michael Kassner does some digging.

Last week, I received a call from Visa. “Hello, Mr. Kassner, are you
currently in Uzbekistan?” Huh. Ignoring me, the unflappable
representative continued, “What’s your mother’s maiden name?” By then, I
got it. Someone pilfered my credit card number…again.

As I shredded my credit card, a thought came to me. Do members of the
Internet’s dark side steal from each other?

Everything I read suggests — unlike above ground — there’s an economic
boom taking place in the digital netherworld. And, that doesn’t happen
if stealing from each other is the prime directive. So, what do they
know that we don’t? I had to find out, but where to start?

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/sec...77?tag=nl.e036