The rapid spread of artificial intelligence is reshaping the technology job market - and not always for the better. A new report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reveals that global layoffs and shrinking entry-level opportunities are pushing displaced tech workers toward the dark web, where illegal jobs are thriving.

According to the study, résumés posted on underground forums surged twofold in early 2024 compared to the previous year, and the trend held steady through 2025.“The shadow job market is no longer peripheral; it's absorbing the unemployed, the underage, and the overqualified,” said 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... However, not many realise that working on the dark web can lead to prison.”

The data paints a stark picture: résumés now outnumber vacancies 55 per cent to 45 per cent, signalling desperation among job seekers. The median age of applicants is just 24, with a noticeable influx of teenagers. Nearly 70 per cent of candidates did not specify a preferred field, openly signaling willingness to take any paid opportunity - from coding to running scams or laundering money.

The roles advertised reflect a mature criminal ecosystem. Developers account for 17 per cent of vacancies, tasked with creating attack tools. Penetration testers make up 12 per cent, probing networks for weaknesses. Money launderers (11 per cent) and carders (6 per cent) handle financial crimes, while traffers (5 per cent) lure victims to phishing sites or infected downloads. Salary expectations vary widely: reverse engineers command over $5,000 monthly, penetration testers $4,000, and developers $2,000. Fraudsters often earn a percentage of illicit income - traffers can pocket up to 50 per cent.

Gender patterns also emerged. Female applicants gravitate toward interpersonal roles such as call-centre support, while male candidates dominate technical and financial-crime positions like developer or mule handler.

Experts warn that the appeal of quick earnings and minimal hiring hurdles - offers often land within 48 hours, with no HR interviews - masks severe risks.“Short-term earnings carry irreversible legal and reputational consequences,” Fedosimova stressed. Kaspersky urges parents and educators to monitor online activity and guide teens toward legitimate tech pathways. Initiatives like its *Cyber Pathways* project aim to redirect talent into cybersecurity roles rather than criminal ventures.

The report analysed 2,225 job-related posts on dark web forums between January 2023 and June 2025. While some forums have since vanished, the findings underscore a growing convergence of economic pressure and cybercrime. For organisations, Kaspersky recommends dark web monitoring to detect ex-staffer résumés and training HR teams to spot“shadow experience” in applicant histories.

As AI accelerates automation and trims entry-level positions, experts fear more displaced workers will drift toward illicit opportunities. The dark web's promise of fast cash and skill-based hiring may look tempting - but the cost could be a criminal record and years behind bars.

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