Archive · 29 Nov 2025
Tech Layoffs Drive Dark Web Hiring Surge
Lots of people in the tech world have lost their jobs recently.
Some of these people are being hired by hackers to do bad things online.
Hackers are advertising these jobs on the dark web, which is a secret part of the internet.
They offer different types of jobs, like working from home or full-time, and even some benefits like vacation time.
The jobs pay different amounts, from $200 to $20,000 a month.
Most of the jobs are for developers, who write computer programs.
But there are also jobs for other roles like attackers, designers, and IT administrators.
Many of the people looking for these jobs are young, with an average age of 24.
Experts warn that working for hackers can lead to serious trouble, like going to prison.
Hackers and cybercriminals are heavily recruiting laid-off or underemployed IT professionals on the dark web.
Job roles include remote work (45%), full-time (34%), flexible schedules (33%), fixed salary (10%), and part-time (8%), with some offering paid vacation and sick leave.
There was a two-fold increase in job postings and resumes on underground forums in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023, sustained in Q1 2025.
Developers are in highest demand (61%), followed by attackers (16%), designers (10%), IT administrators (6%), and reverse engineers (4%).
Salaries range from $200 to $20,000, with a median of $2,000 for developers and $4,000 for reverse engineers.
- Who
- Hackers, cybercriminals, and APT groups are hiring laid-off or underemployed IT professionals.
- What
- A surge in job postings on the dark web for tech roles to support cybercriminal activities.
- When
- The analysis period spanned from January 2020 through June 2022, with a notable increase in Q1 2024 and sustained in Q1 2025.
- Where
- Dark web forums, with over 800 job ads analyzed.
- Why
- Global IT layoffs and an influx of younger candidates have driven the demand in the shadow job market.
- Increase in Résumés
- Two-fold increase in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023, sustained in Q1 2025
- Job Roles
- Remote (45%), Full-time (34%), Flexible Schedule (33%), Fixed Salary (10%), Part-time (8%)
- Benefits
- Paid Vacation and Sick Leave (8%)
- Demand Distribution
- Developers (61%), Attackers (16%), Designers (10%), IT Administrators (6%), Reverse Engineers (4%)
- Candidates vs. Vacancies
- 55% resumes vs. 45% vacancies in 2025
- Median Candidate Age
- 24 years, with notable presence of teenagers
- Major Employers
- Hacker teams and APT groups