Cost of a Windows zero-day exploit? This one goes for $90,000

Ever wonder what the black market price might be for an exploit of a previously unknown vulnerability that affects all Windows versions? The answer, according to a recent offer seen on a cybercrime forum, is $90,000.

The offer was observed by researchers from security firm Trustwave on an underground market for Russian-speaking cybercriminals, where users hire malware coders, lease exploit kits, buy access to compromised websites or rent botnets.

Zero-day exploits -- exploits for unpatched vulnerabilities -- are typically used for cyberespionage. Hackers sell them to governments and large corporations, under strict nondisclosure agreements, often through specialized brokers, so it's uncommon to see them traded on cybercrime forums.

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