Explore true stories of the dark side of the Internet with host Jack Rhysider as he takes you on a journey through the chilling world of hacking, data breaches, and cyber crime.
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It started with a fake car listing on eBay. What looked like a simple online scam quietly grew, over more than a decade, into one of the most sophisticated cybercrime operations the FBI had ever traced. Custom malware. Opsec off the charts. Fleets of infected computers mining cryptocurrency for someone else. Millions of dollars siphoned from victims who had no idea. This is the story of Bayrob and the three men from Romania who were behind it. And the long, strange road that led American investi...
This episode details Sophos's six-year cyber war against a sophisticated, state-backed Chinese hacking group. Beginning with the 2018 theft of source code, the attackers leveraged zero-day exploits to compromise over 80,000 Sophos firewalls. Sophos responded with radical transparency, deploying unprecedented hotfixes and even kernel implants to spy on the attackers' labs, ultimately forcing adversaries to adapt their tactics and leading to the end-of-life of an entire product line. The episode culminates with the identification of a key hacker, Guan Tianfeng, on the FBI's Most Wanted list, underscoring the ongoing and intense nature of this cyber conflict.
In the streets of the Dominican Republic, a new economy thrives in the shadows. It’s built not on tourism or sugar, but on stolen data. They call them tarjeteros. And they are making a lot of money from stolen credit cards. This is a story about one group of tarjeteros who came to the US, and let loose on New York city. Sponsors Support for this show comes from ThreatLocker® . ThreatLocker® is a Zero Trust Endpoint Protection Platform that strengthens your infrastructure from the ground up. With...
What if there was a device which gave you endless movies and TV shows without ads? Ok great sign me up! In this episode we interview “D3ada55”, who found such a device, but as she gazed into it, she discovered it gazing back at her. Sponsors Support for this show comes from ThreatLocker® . ThreatLocker® is a Zero Trust Endpoint Protection Platform that strengthens your infrastructure from the ground up. With ThreatLocker® Allowlisting and Ringfencing™, you gain a more secure approach to blocking...
This episode delves into the world of music streaming fraud with Andrew, who transitioned from black-hat marketing to becoming a leading fraud detection expert. He reveals how streaming numbers are manipulated, from early social media "like-jacking" to modern account takeovers and sophisticated schemes. Shockingly, the discussion uncovers how streaming platforms are now used for large-scale money laundering by organized crime, stealing billions from legitimate artists annually.
This episode explores the 40-year history of Phrack, the influential underground hacking magazine. It covers its origins in the early hacker "scene," landmark articles like E911 and "Smashing the Stack," and the evolving perception of hackers from punk kids to cybersecurity professionals. The episode also delves into Phrack's periods of decline and impressive revivals, highlighting the community-driven efforts and unique funding model that sustain its free publication.
This episode delves into the rise of the Masters of Deception (MoD), an elite hacking group that emerged from New York City's underground. Led by the notorious Fiber Optic, MoD's sophisticated tactics and a powerful backdoor granted them unprecedented access across major networks, leading to high-profile pranks and a heated rivalry with the Legion of Doom. Their activities triggered widespread government investigations, massive arrests under the CFAA, and ultimately inspired the creation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, forever changing the digital landscape and ushering in the end of the "golden age of hacking."
Uncover the story of the Legion of Doom, an influential 80s hacker group known for "phreaking" and a commitment to free information, often sharing phone system manuals obtained through "trashing." The episode details the rise of cyber-anarchy, the impact of the vague Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), and law enforcement's escalating efforts to combat hackers, culminating in a massive AT&T network outage that set the stage for a major crackdown.
This episode explores two real-world ransomware attacks: one on a manufacturing company that lost its entire infrastructure and faced a tough rebuild, and another on a hospital where ThreatLocker stopped the attack. It delves into the "deny by default" principle of ThreatLocker, contrasting it with traditional security models. The episode also features ThreatLocker's CEO, Danny Jenkins, who explains the company's origin, development, and mission to transform cybersecurity through Zero Trust, showcasing its effectiveness in preventing widespread damage and highlighting the dedication required for robust protection.
Maxie Reynolds loves an adventure, especially the kind where she’s breaking into buildings (legally). In this episode, she shares stories from her time as a professional penetration tester, including high-stakes physical intrusions, red team chaos, and the unique adrenaline of hacking the real world. Her book: The Art of Attack: Attacker Mindset for Security Professionals (https://amzn.to/4ojYSVZ) Her data center: www.subseacloud.com/...
This episode features AppSec expert Tanya Janca recounting her journey from software developer to incident responder. She details her early penetration testing mishaps, the challenge of investigating a government data breach linked to a mysterious SQL injection, and a dramatic incident where a supposed "building malware" turned out to be an Olympic streaming overload. Tanya also discusses the crucial role of help desk training and her success in fostering a collaborative security culture with previously resistant development teams.
Nathan Michael, known as the leader of the "Oak Cliff Swipers," shares his tumultuous journey through credit card fraud, starting from being scammed himself and escalating to elaborate skimming operations at gas pumps and fast-food restaurants. He details building a network of "shoppers" and the personal and family tragedies that intertwined with his criminal life, including multiple arrests, dramatic standoffs with law enforcement, and significant prison time. Despite relapses, the episode explores his path toward potential redemption and his reflections on a chaotic past.
This episode details the harrowing experience of Ola Bini, a Swedish programmer and privacy advocate, who was arrested in Ecuador on false charges of being a Russian hacker following Julian Assange's asylum revocation. Despite a lack of evidence and numerous violations of his rights, Bini faced a prolonged legal battle, including imprisonment, a mistrial, and a later conviction based on misinterpreted technical evidence. The story highlights the dangers of political scapegoating, the importance of digital privacy, and Bini's ongoing resilience against a seemingly endless bureaucratic and corrupt system.
This episode delves into the life of Hieu Minh Ngo, from a teenage hacker stealing internet accounts and credit cards to building a multi-million dollar business reselling US identities obtained from legitimate data brokers. It explores the legal complexities and ethical dilemmas surrounding data collection and the controversial application of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in his case. Hieu's journey culminates in his arrest, prison sentence, and his surprising path to working with law enforcement to fight cybercrime.
This episode delves into the fascinating journey of MG, the hardware engineer behind the OMG Cable. Discover how MG's DIY upbringing, early hacking exploits, and experiences with the 3D printed gun movement and NSA leaks inspired him to miniaturize powerful offensive tools. The discussion covers the cable's complex development, from its origins as an exploding USB drive to its advanced features like Wi-Fi control and keystroke injection, alongside compelling stories of its use in red team operations and the ethical dilemmas of creating powerful hacking tools.
Join Greg Linares, aka Laughing Mantis, on his wild journey from hacking his high school's grading system at 14 and becoming Arizona's youngest arrested hacker, through living in a group home and finding resilience in his Goth identity. Hear about his music career, his first cybersecurity job involving an embarrassing Microsoft zero-day attempt turned successful, a bizarre corporate espionage story, and incredible physical penetration tests involving stealing DNA data via hollowed-out printers and breaking into a VC firm Mission Impossible-style.
Journalist Joe Tidy recounts investigating the Vastaamo cyber attack, where a hacker stole and individually extorted thousands of psychotherapy patients using their deeply personal therapy notes. This unprecedented act, considered one of the cruelest cybercrimes, led to a national crisis in Finland, the collapse of the company, and a multi-year manhunt culminating in the arrest and conviction of notorious hacker Julius Kivimaki, known for past attacks like taking down Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
MalwareTech recounts his journey from anonymous security researcher to accidental hero after stopping the WannaCry ransomware attack. His newfound fame led to scrutiny, legal battles over past malware development, and an eventual time-served sentence. The episode explores the complexities of the US justice system and the unexpected turns in MalwareTech's life.
Grifter recounts his journey from a mischievous youth involved in petty crime and hacking to becoming a respected figure in the cybersecurity community. He details his early exploits in hacking, his time in the military, and his deep involvement with DEF CON and Black Hat conferences. The episode also covers his work in threat hunting and his unique perspective on aggressive network defense, providing insights into the evolving landscape of cybersecurity.
Chris Montero and Carl Miller share their investigation into the dark web hitman-for-hire site, Bessa Mafia, revealing its scam operations and the very real threats it facilitated. From debunking scams to uncovering chilling murder plots, they recount their efforts to warn potential victims while navigating ethical dilemmas and police involvement. The story highlights the complexities and dangers of cybercrime, leaving a lasting impact on those involved.
In this episode, we delve into the multifaceted career of Joe Grand, also known as “Kingpin.” A renowned hardware hacker and computer engineer, Joe has been exploring and manipulating electronic systems since the 1980s. As a former member of the legendary hacker collective L0pht Heavy Industries, he has significantly contributed to the cybersecurity landscape. Joe is also the proprietor of Grand Idea Studio, a research and development firm, and has shared his expertise through various media, inc...
Conor Freeman (x.com/conorfrmn) stole money online. Lot’s of it. In this episode we talk with him, and hear how he did it, why he did, and what he spent it on. Conor’s website: https://conorfreeman.ie Conor’s X: https://x.com/conorfrmn Sponsors Support for this show comes from ThreatLocker® . ThreatLocker® is a Zero Trust Endpoint Protection Platform that strengthens your infrastructure from the ground up. With ThreatLocker® Allowlisting and Ringfencing™, you gain a more secure approach to block...
Have you ever got your bike stolen? In this episode we dive into the world of stolen bikes. Who does it and where do the bikes go? We talk with Bryan from Bike Index who investigates this. https://bikeindex.org Sponsors Support for this show comes from ThreatLocker® . ThreatLocker® is a Zero Trust Endpoint Protection Platform that strengthens your infrastructure from the ground up. With ThreatLocker® Allowlisting and Ringfencing™, you gain a more secure approach to blocking exploits of known and...
Jarett Dunn, AKA StaccOverflow, stole millions of dollars from a website called Pump Fun, and he wanted to do it in the most dramatic and theatrical way he could. His big heist is known as the “Stacc Attack”. https://x.com/STACCoverflow He has a merch store now freestacc.io . Sponsors Support for this show comes from Cobalt Strike . Cobalt Strike simulates real-world, advanced cyber attacks to enable red teams to proactively evaluate an organisation’s security readiness and defence response. The...
Chris Rock is known for being a security researcher. But he’s also a black hat incident responder. He tells us about a job he did in the middle east. https://x.com/chrisrockhacker Sponsors Support for this show comes from Varonis. Do you wonder what your company’s ransomware blast radius is? Varonis does a free cyber resilience assessment that tells you how many important files a compromised user could steal, whether anything would beep if they did, and a whole lot more. They actually do all the...
In Episode 20 of Darknet Diaries, we heard from Greg aka “mobman” who said he created the sub7 malware. Something didn’t sit right with a lot of people about that episode. It’s time to revisit that episode and get to the bottom of things. Sponsors This show is sponsored by Shopify. Shopify is the best place to go to start or grow your online retail business. And running a growing business means getting the insights you need wherever you are. With Shopify’s single dashboard, you can manage orders...
In this episode we hear EvilMog (https://x.com/Evil_Mog) tell us a story about when he had to troubleshoot networks in Afghanistan. We also get Joe (http://x.com/gonzosec) to tell us a penetration test story. Sponsors Support for this show comes from Varonis. Do you wonder what your company’s ransomware blast radius is? Varonis does a free cyber resilience assessment that tells you how many important files a compromised user could steal, whether anything would beep if they did, and a whole lot m...
Ever wondered how far a fan would go to get a sneak peek of their favorite artist’s unreleased tracks? In this episode, we uncover the audacious story of some teens bent on getting their hands on the newest dubstep music before anyone else. Sponsors Support for this show comes from Varonis. Do you wonder what your company’s ransomware blast radius is? Varonis does a free cyber resilience assessment that tells you how many important files a compromised user could steal, whether anything would bee...
In this episode, Geoff White (https://x.com/geoffwhite247) tells us what happened to Axie Infinity and Tornado cash. It’s a digital heist of epic proportions that changes everything. This story comes from part of Geoff’s book “Rinsed” which goes into the world of money laundering. Get yours here https://amzn.to/3VJs7pb.
In this episode, Joseph Cox (https://x.com/josephfcox) tells us the story of anom. A secure phone made by criminals, for criminals. This story comes from part of Joseph’s book “Dark Wire” which you should definitely read. Get yours here https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/joseph-cox/dark-wire/9781541702691.
