"Over the years, the criminal elements, the ones who are making money, making millions out of all this online crime, are just getting stronger and stronger. I don't think we are really winning this war."

While law enforcement co-operation with government and the IT community is paramount in addressing the problem in the short term, longer-term solutions must be found. One way to address the issue of the growth of the "black cybereconomy" in the long term is to harness the IT talent in developing countries that otherwise might be co-opted into illegal activity, say security experts.

"We have to make it more attractive to be in the white economy than in the black--when that happens we will turn a corner. We're starting to see that happen as companies look to less expensive economies as places to put people. In Eastern Europe and Asia there are highly skilled people where there are less opportunities--this is where the black economy is fueled now," said McAfee's Telafici.

"From Trojan creation sites out of Germany and the Eastern bloc, you can purchase kits and support for malware in yearly contracts," said Marcus. "They present themselves as a cottage industry which sells tools or creation kits. It's hard to tell if it's a conspiracy or a bunch of autonomous individuals who are good at covering their tracks."

I've seen those malware style things for sale, sold like above the board marketing help. On the same sites a page away from their "security" suites that are of course coded NOT to catch them.