[Harvey]

Sup fellow SLers!

Just a quick discussion thread today with a tinge of philosophical and moral influence. My question, in a nutshell, is why do you RAT? Why do you fire up Blackshades and spend hours getting servers encrypted and making fake videos to spread the trojan?

Do you do it for money? Not likely, since it's difficult extorting installees through the typical RAT client. Hacking accounts like RuneScape or WOW? More plausible: I guess there is some money doing that.

Or maybe it's just a satisfaction thing? Do you do it for the thrill? Do you just like to have power over someone?

When I think of offensive security or 'hacking', I think of going after a specific target. Not just anyone who downloaded and ran my server. These people mean nothing to me.

Why do you RAT/keylog/etc?

[Reiko]

I'd like to know the psychology behind why people RAT as well.
Then again, I have some odd malware-related things myself.
I built a router botnet one night for self-defense against Xbox/Skype kiddies, and promised myself I wouldn't go over having 1000 of them at any one time.
Guess I'm just a weirdo.

[Adorapuff]

I'd like to know the psychology behind why people RAT as well.
Then again, I have some odd malware-related things myself.
I built a router botnet one night for self-defense against Xbox/Skype kiddies, and promised myself I wouldn't go over having 1000 of them at any one time.
Guess I'm just a weirdo.

root@firefox: force run -all -adware.exe

---

There is big money in botnets. Realisticly with an investment under 1k you could be making 500k a year and I'm low balling here

[Nyx]

I don't personally do it, but I know my buddy has been selling installs for a very short time. He gets like 20% of the sales and he already has saved up 1000$. So realistically, there is insane amounts of money being made there, and it is only 20%, imagine if you knew what you were doing and could take 100% of the profits! All my friend does is answer Skype calls, so if he were to actually put himself out there and put his business out on the market, I could see him being quite a wealthy man, with very minimal work.

[Harvey]

I don't personally do it, but I know my buddy has been selling installs for a very short time. He gets like 20% of the sales and he already has saved up 1000$. So realistically, there is insane amounts of money being made there, and it is only 20%, imagine if you knew what you were doing and could take 100% of the profits! All my friend does is answer Skype calls, so if he were to actually put himself out there and put his business out on the market, I could see him being quite a wealthy man, with very minimal work.

So it's a financial thing, huh? Seems like quite dirty money. But if you're making fat stacks, why stop?

I guess I was sort of going more towards why people initially start. Maybe it's the placebo of thinking you're a real 'hacker'? A good rush, I suppose. Yes, you're using pre-made software, but at the end of the day, you have more or less hacked someone.

[Nyx]

So it's a financial thing, huh? Seems like quite dirty money. But if you're making fat stacks, why stop?

I guess I was sort of going more towards why people initially start. Maybe it's the placebo of thinking you're a real 'hacker'? A good rush, I suppose. Yes, you're using pre-made software, but at the end of the day, you have more or less hacked someone.

Though the financial thing is a big reason behind it, you are probably correct. They see the hacker movies like the Social Network and thing "OMG I wanna be like him when I get older". I know I wanted to be a hacker after seeing that movie and how he is a billionaire now, but hey, that's a helluva big goal.

[Reiko]

I don't really understand why people get into this kind of stuff, even if there is money to be made.
Often, RATers aren't that skilled, and getting caught once could end your "career".

[Harvey]

I don't really understand why people get into this kind of stuff, even if there is money to be made.
Often, RATers aren't that skilled, and getting caught once could end your "career".

That's true. In fact, I'd say their skills lie more in their ability to spread the server than in the technical/security aspect of things.

[Eclipse]

I do it for the lols. If I find something like porn, I post it on their facebook. Stuff like that. I think it's more the fact of having power over someone.

Now having a botnet on the other hand is a different matter. It's like having an army on your side. Imagine a DDoS attack with a massive botnet. Now put it into the army analogy. The feeling is amazing.

[Reiko]

I do it for the lols. If I find something like porn, I post it on their facebook. Stuff like that. I think it's more the fact of having power over someone.

Now having a botnet on the other hand is a different matter. It's like having an army on your side. Imagine a DDoS attack with a massive botnet. Now put it into the army analogy. The feeling is amazing.

Honesttly the whole "personal army" thing gets old too. I'd much rather have a giant collection of meat shields than an army. Armies think. Thinking causes margin for error.