Radware Research Finds Surge in Underground Hacking and Fraud Tutorials

Summary

Radware researchers found more than 3,000 hacking and fraud guides on underground forums. New tutorials rose to an estimated 110–140 per month in 2026, with more focus on carding and identity theft; generative AI may make them easier to produce.

Key points

• Radware researchers identified more than 3,000 unique hacking and fraud guides on underground forums.
• The number of new tutorials reportedly rose from around 45 per month in 2024 to an estimated 110–140 per month in 2026.
• Carding and identity-theft tutorials increased from about 19% of analyzed tutorials in 2024 to 38% in 2026.
• Black-hat SEO and affiliate-manipulation tutorials declined from about 33% to 13%.
• Among tutorials naming a victim brand or platform, telecom and social media accounted for almost two-thirds of industry-tagged content.
• Radware found examples of generative AI being used to help create tutorials, while noting that AI had not replaced skilled hackers.
• The research suggests defenders could monitor changes in criminal tutorials to inform defensive priorities.

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