Skype was the second most popular messaging platform in 2012 with the Russian underground, according to the report, and rose to first place at the end of 2016. 'If you say, 'Let's connect on Skype,' chances are that the other person will already have it on their system.' Skype, for example, does not offer end-to-end encryption. One high-profile example of that is WhatsApp, he said, which is now a top messaging platform with the general public - and has added encryption.Ĭonvenience is often the most important consideration, however. Even some of the applications that were not as security minded before have moved their platforms to include encryption.' 'Now that they're made it a lot more user-friendly, even people who are not technically adept tend to use them. 'In the past, secure tools existed, but they were clunkier and were niche, for nerds and geeks,' he said. While the underground forums are home to some general discussions, it's the instant messaging channels where the really serious conversations and planning take place, Terrelonge said.Īnd the general direction of movement is towards more encrypted, more secure platforms - both because the cyber criminals are becoming more security conscious, and also because the general public is, too, and the popular tools are evolving as a result. The research is based on discussions conducted on hundreds of underground communities by thousands of members, in which the participants mentioned the instant messaging platforms they were using. The newer platforms are more user-friendly and more convenient, but also offer greater security, said Leroy Terrelonge, Director of Middle East and Africa Research at Flashpoint, which recently released a report about the communication platforms cyber criminals have been using over the past four years. Meanwhile, consumer-grade platforms like AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo IM have fallen out of favor, while newer, more secure consumer oriented platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp are also gaining popularity. The most popular instant messaging platforms with cyber criminals are Skype, Jabber and ICQ, according to a new report released this morning.

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