As tech jobs stall, new research claims the dark web job market is growing more attractive

• Kaspersky report claims young tech workers turn to the dark web in search of jobs
• The median age of applicants is just 24
• Dark web workers can bring in over $5,000/mo

As the global job market deteriorates due to layoffs, difficult recruitment screenings, and new AI programs designed to eliminate parts of the workforce, new research has claimed graduates and young people are increasingly turning to the dark web for jobs.

Unfortunately for them, Kaspersky research reveals the dark web job market isn’t as easy as you’d imagine, as applicants on the dark web outnumber job listings 55-45 - and 69% of candidates are open to any field - making fierce competition the order of the day.

Worryingly, the median age of job seekers is just 24, suggesting skilled young graduates are unable to find legitimate employment and instead being forced to switch allegiances and use their skills against the cybersecurity industry.

A lucrative shift

Kaspersky's report found those that move over to the dark web can be well rewarded, as reverse engineers can earn an average of $5,000 per month, followed closely by penetration testers at $4,000/mo and developers at $2,000/mo.

“The shadow job market is no longer peripheral; it’s absorbing the unemployed, the underage, and the overqualified,’ comments Alexandra Fedosimova, Digital Footprint Analyst at Kaspersky.

‘Many arrive thinking that the dark web and the legal market are fundamentally alike, rewarding proven skills over diplomas, with the dark web even offering some benefits – like offers landing within 48 hours and no HR interviews. However, not many realize that working on the dark web can lead to prison,”

The tech industry is stalling as AI eliminates positions - with junior roles cut in half in recent years - and given the state of the rest of the job market, it’s unsurprising some of those high skilled workers will turn to less legitimate means to survive.

Organizations are saving money in the short term by eliminating junior roles and replacing them with AI - but if the dark web is nurturing these talents, then in ten years when senior developers retire, the deck will be stacked against defenders.

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