Hacking has long been a game of cat and mouse — adversaries develop, soldiers adapt. But the rise of hack-for-hire service is shifting the environment, turning crime into an on-demand, pay-to-play business. Governments, companies and even individuals can now book hackers like they would a consulting firm, making attacks more visible than ever.
The trouble? The market is almost totally unregulated. It’s a dark, high-stakes sport where genuine penetration testers and cybersecurity firms operate alongside illegal criminals, and generally, the range between them is blurred.
Is hackers for use legitimate? Often.
Is it honest? That depends.
Is it a problems? Positively.
The Explosive Growth Of Hackers For Hire
Previously relegated to the black online, hackers-for-hire have now entered the mainstream. Governments, companies and individuals seeking computer muscles can tap into a growing ecosystem of selfish hackers offering services ranging from penetration testing and network safety assessments to corporate espionage and cyber warfare.
Security firms have warned for decades about the increase of computer mercenaries — private providers who develop and sell unpleasant hacking tools to the highest bid. A 2023 statement from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre predicts that hack-for-hire groups will continue to grow rapidly over the next five years, enabling a boom in both attacks and online frauds.
And the numbers back it up. The cyber mercenary market was valued at$ 12 billion as of 2019 and is expanding quickly as AI-driven hacking tools become more accessible and affordable. Governments around the world are leveraging private cyber firms for intelligence gathering, disruption of enemy operations, and even political espionage. Meanwhile, individuals are hiring hackers to settle personal scores, hack social media accounts, and steal data.
The problem? The same market that enables cybersecurity research also fuels criminal activity, human rights abuses and national security threats.
AI And Economic Desperation Are Fueling The Crisis
What makes this crisis even worse is the accelerating role of AI in cybercrime and the rise in global unemployment among tech talent.
1. AI Is Lowering The Barrier To Entry For Cybercriminals
- Automated hacking tools powered by , launch large-scale phishing attacks, and bypass traditional security measures at a fraction of the effort and cost.
- Deepfake technology and AI-generated phishing scams make social engineering attacks nearly indistinguishable from legitimate communications, increasing their effectiveness and scalability.
- AI can automate vulnerability discovery in software, giving cyber mercenaries an unprecedented advantage in launching attacks at scale.
2. Tech Layoffs And Global Unemployment Are Driving More Talent To The Dark Side
- The has left thousands of skilled but looking for alternative income sources. Some are turning to hacking-for-hire as a way to survive.
- A notable example: Russia’s cybercriminal underground swelled after the Ukraine war, as rendered many Russian developers and cybersecurity experts previously employed by western firms, unemployed. Many of them, left with few options, shifted to cybercrime as a means of economic survival.
- Similar economic pressures are playing out in other regions, such as China due to , where laid-off tech talent — unable to find legitimate work — is tempted by the high pay and anonymity of cybercrime.
This convergence of AI-driven cyber tools and economic desperation among skilled tech workers is making cyber mercenary work more appealing, more dangerous and harder to contain.
The Wild West Of Cyber Mercenaries: Legitimate Vs. Illegitimate Hackers-For-Hire
Not all hack-for-hire operations are illegal. White-hat hackers and cybersecurity firms routinely offer penetration testing (ethical hacking ) services to help companies find and fix vulnerabilities before bad actors exploit them. These legitimate cybersecurity professionals operate within strict legal and ethical guidelines, often with government contracts and regulatory oversight.
But then there’s the dark side. Criminal hackers-for-hire operate without oversight, selling their skills to the highest bidder. Their services range from corporate espionage and DDoS attacks to stealing intellectual property and hacking government agencies.
How To Tell The Difference
For businesses and individuals looking to engage cybersecurity professionals, knowing the difference between legitimate pentesters and illegal cyber mercenaries is critical.
Here’s how to spot the red flags:
Legitimate Cybersecurity Firms:
- Offer verifiable credentials ( OSCP, CEH, CISSP, etc. )
- Have publicly known teams and client references
- Work under strict contracts and NDAs
- Follow ethical hacking guidelines
Illegitimate Hackers-For-Hire:
- Operate anonymously on forums and encrypted chat services
- Request payment via cryptocurrency with no verifiable records
- Refuse to provide identifiable credentials
- Market services such as hacking social media, stealing data or targeting individuals
The rise of cyber mercenaries also presents a major liability risk for businesses. Hiring the wrong kind of hacker — intentionally or accidentally— can result in legal repercussions, reputational damage and even criminal charges.
Legitimate And Illegitimate Hacking Blurred
One of the biggest issues with the hack-for-hire market is that even legitimate cybersecurity work can be exploited for illegal purposes. Some recent cases highlight how messy and dangerous this space has become:
- The NSO Group Spyware Case – The Israeli firm NSO Group, known for its Pegasus spyware, initially marketed its tools for government intelligence operations. But investigations revealed that the software was used to spy on journalists, activists and political opponents worldwide, leading to international sanctions and bans.
- Project Raven – A team of former U. S. intelligence operatives was found working for the United Arab Emirates, conducting cyber espionage on journalists, activists and political rivals. The operatives were initially recruited for national security projects, but their work crossed ethical and legal lines.
- The Hacking Team Leak– An Italian cybersecurity firm that sold hacking tools to law enforcement and intelligence agencies was hacked in 2015, exposing contracts with repressive governments using their tools to surveil dissidents. The breach revealed that their products were being used for human rights abuses, despite claims of ethical oversight.
- The Sandvine Scandal – In 2024, the U. S. sanctioned the Canadian company Sandvine for supplying deep packet inspection technology to Egypt, which was used to block 600 websites and suppress free speech. Originally positioned as a network security and traffic management tool, Sandvine’s technology was instead weaponized for mass censorship and digital repression.
These cases illustrate a disturbing pattern: cybersecurity firms and ethical hackers sometimes blur the line between security and surveillance, defense and oppression. Whether through naivety, negligence or willful ignorance, their tools and expertise can be turned against the very freedoms they claim to protect.
These cases show how even reputable cybersecurity firms can cross ethical and legal lines, making it increasingly difficult to tell friend from foe.
The Legal Gray Zone: Is It Legal To Hire A Hacker?
Hacking for hire exists in a legal gray area. Some forms of cybersecurity work— like penetration testing, bug bounty programs, and ethical hacking — are not just legal, they are essential to protecting digital infrastructure.
But many countries have strict laws against unauthorized hacking, even if it’s done for hire. In the U. S., the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act criminalizes unauthorized access to computer systems, with penalties including heavy fines and prison time.
However, law enforcement agencies often struggle to prosecute cyber mercenaries, especially when they operate across international borders. Many offensive cyber firms set up shop in countries with weak regulations, providing hacking tools and services to buyers worldwide.
The Loophole That Enables Cyber Mercenaries
One of the biggest loopholes in cybersecurity law is the lack of international standards for cyber warfare and cybercrime. Unlike conventional weapons, hacking tools can be developed, sold and deployed digitally, making it difficult to track or regulate.
Some governments even hire cyber mercenaries under the guise of” security research”, further complicating legal enforcement. As a result, cyber mercenaries often operate with near-total impunity.
What Businesses And Governments Must Do
The hack-for-hire crisis is escalating. If left unchecked, it will continue to erode cybersecurity, privacy and digital trust. Governments and businesses need to act now to establish clearer boundaries around who can legally offer hacking services and under what conditions.
Here is what needs to happen:
- Stronger Regulation &, Oversight – Governments need to close legal loopholes that allow cyber mercenaries to operate freely.
- Stricter Vetting of Cybersecurity Firms – Businesses must conduct deep due diligence before hiring security firms, ensuring they don’t have ties to cyber mercenaries.
- Global Cooperation – Cybercrime knows no borders. Countries must work together to track and shut down criminal hacking networks. This may mean we need to be open to work with some of our political and economic adversaries such as China and Russia.
- Education &, Awareness – Many businesses unknowingly engage illicit hackers-for-hire. More education on cybersecurity best practices is critical.
The bottom line? Hackers-for-hire are here to stay. The question is whether we will rein them in or let them run wild.
The Future Of Cyber Mercenaries
The next five years will be a defining moment for the cybersecurity industry. The rapid advancement of AI-driven hacking tools, escalating geopolitical cyber conflicts, and the booming cyber mercenary market are creating a perfect storm that could either strengthen global security or plunge us deeper into digital chaos.
Governments, corporations, and law enforcement must act decisively — closing legal loopholes, enforcing stronger regulations, and fostering global cooperation — or risk ceding control of cyberspace to an unregulated shadow industry. The stakes have never been higher.
Will we see a global crackdown on cyber mercenaries, or will they become a permanent fixture in modern warfare, corporate espionage, and cybercrime? The battle for digital security is already raging, and how we respond now will define the future of cyberspace for generations to come.