Symantec 'Black Market' Event Highlights Perils of Cybercrime

On September 1, New Yorkers will have a chance to peer inside the sleazy world of cybercrime when the "Norton Black Market Experience" rolls in to Times Square via a converted semi truck.

The event is free and open to the general public between 11am and 3pm. According to Symantec, visitors "will leave with a better understanding of the cybercriminal's world, as well as options for protecting themselves online."

Symantec originally devised the Black Market Experience as a one-time exhibit, but it proved so popular that it has taken the show on the road. I went through it at the RSA Security conference earlier this year and came away impressed. Visitors enter a literal "market" whose shelves are loaded with fake security software in boxes, barrels of cloned credit cards ready to be scooped up, and stolen identities in bundles of hundreds, or thousands.

After an informative spiel delivered in the market, visitors proceed through a secret door to a simulated cybercriminal lair complete with realistic demonstrations of just how much can go wrong if you're fooled by an online scam. The lair is loaded with computers, display screens, even a credit card printer. And of course Symantec representatives are available to answer all the questions that the display is sure to evoke.

If you're near Times Square this Wednesday do yourself a favor and pay this black market a visit. It will be located at 43rd and Broadway.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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