December 18, 2019
In the world of “what could have been,” the cybercriminal marketplace market[.]ms would be a leader in the cybercriminal underground. Market[.]ms offered threat actors streamlined, automated trading of a range of illicit goods, including malware, stolen accounts, and fraudulent documents. Instead, on December 3, 2019, the news that market[.]ms had closed due to a lack of profit rocked the cybercriminal community. One former user bemoaned its departure, saying, “What a shame, the service was decent and the best of its kind.”
In June 2018, Digital Shadows blogged about the appearance of market[.]ms. Back then, several factors suggested that the site was destined for success:
The closure announcement was largely unexpected. Market[.]ms lowered commissions for using the site’s escrow service, depositing money, and withdrawing funds in July 2019 (which could indicate a platform struggling financially). In September 2019, market[.]ms introduced a Tor domain (adding to the burden of resources to be paid for and maintained but in no way suggesting an imminent closure).
While it may be challenging to assess what went wrong for market[.]ms conclusively, this blog examines some potential reasons behind its demise, as well as looking at the extraordinary professionalism market[.]ms displayed throughout its journey.
Market[.]ms homepage at the time of its official launch
Market.ms: Where it all began
Current an ..
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