How The Cult Of The Dead Cow Invented Hacktivism, with Joseph Menn

Podcast: Download

In this episode, journalist and writer Joseph Menn discuss the seminal hacking crew Cult Of The Dead Cow. CoDC was one of the key forces behind the creations of 'hacktivism', which tries to contribute political change via formal and informal hacking operations. Of particular interest here is how CoDC's work has more than occasionally dovetailed with American foreign policy -- especially with regards to China. Joseph Menn is on Twitter @JosephMenn, and his book on the Cult Of The Dead Cow is available at all good bookshops.

‘You’ll See This Message When It Is Too Late’: Financial Cyberwarfare, with Josephine Wolff

Podcast: Download

In this episode we meet Josephine Wolff, author of a new book on financial and economic cybercrime, You'll See This Message When It Is Too Late.

We discuss two important case studies from the book. First, the massive financial fraud botnet GameOver Zeus, which innovated by using P2P to distribute its command and control infrastructure, and a network of money mules to route funds to its owners, making it extremely hard to detect. The evolution of this botnet in response to Bitcoin shows how cryptocurrency has produced a real paradigm shift in cybercrime - not least in shifting the financial impact of the crime onto the individuals and away from credit card companies and banks.

Moving on to the case of PLA 61398, we discuss the Chinese deployment of hacking resources for economic advancement via China's so-called APT or Advanced Persistent Threat Units. What started with phishing attacks on the email accounts of company offices eventually obtained -- via privilege escalation -- intelligence on pricing, methods, and enough information to tip the balance on crucial trade negotiations. The way China responded to detection shows that it brooks no distinction between political and economic espionage, or America's idea of what is 'okay' and 'not-okay' digital spying.

Wrapping up, we discuss the question of international law and order in the context of massive, distributed cyber operations that remain extremely hard to detect and police. Will multinationals be forced into service as proxies for international co-operation at state level, and into taking responsibility as intermediaries in cybercrime?  How would such politicisation of platforms and services look -- and are we in its first stages already? And finally, could there be a new detente as the great powers understand the leverage they have available to affect each other's critical infrastructures through cyberwarfare?

Josephine Wolff is an assistant professor in the Public Policy department at RIT and a member of the extended faculty of the Computing Security department as well as a fellow at the New America Cybersecurity Initiative. Wolff received her Ph.D. in Engineering Systems: Technology, Management and Policy and M.S. in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as her A.B. in Mathematics from Princeton University. 

Grab Josephine's book, 'You'll See This Message When It Is Too Late,' here at Amazon or at any other traditional online retailers.


Advanced Persistent Threat Part 1: ‘The What & How Of the Bangladesh Bank Heist’

Podcast: Download | Torrent | Magnet

Advanced Persistent Threat is a  STEAL THIS SHOW special series looking at the 2016 Bangladesh Bank Heist. Had it succeeded, this would easily have been the biggest bank robbery in history -- and it was carried out almost entirely in the digital realm, using a variety of exploits and malware, in order to leverage access to the SWIFT banking network and the US Federal Reserve.

In Part One, we look at exactly what happened in the Bangladesh heist, and walk through how it was carried out. To help us through the complex story, we hear from Cheryl Biswas, Strategic Threat Intel Analyst in Cyber Security at a Big Four consulting firm.

After covering the how of the robbery, we consider whether trusted systems like SWIFT can remain secure in an information environment replete with radically heterogeneous, eminently hackable devices.

Cheryl Biswas wishes to make clear that she speaks here on her own behalf Her views do not represent those of her employer.

This episode was completed in part with funding from Film Agency Wales.

 

‘Hacking The System’, with 2600

Podcast: Download | Torrent | Magnet

Support STEAL THIS SHOW show via Patreon, get access to a Slack channel & the show's creators, uncut interviews, and more. Your support is essential!
In this episode, we meet two Dangerous Internet Hackers from 2600 and the radio show Off The Hook, to discuss how hacking became so important to politics -- from Russians messing with elections to Volkswagen lying about emissions. We also check in on Chelsea Manning and the Cablegate leaks, and look at the role hacking has as part of a future political resistance. Plus: when entities like The Pirate Bay are able to launch a meaningful assault on the centuries-old edifice of copyright, has the establishment woken up to the power of hackers to shape our culture?
Rob Vincent (@rob_t_firefly) enjoys Nerding out, hacking the planet, telling the jokes, and making the art. @HackerRadioShow & @HOPEconf crew. Robert Barat (@volt4ire) is "leftist. gay. infosec. FOSS." He is a weekly panelist on @HackerRadioShow and @Columbia 2018 econ & poli sci major

Showrunner & Host Jamie King | Editor Riley Byrne Original Music David Triana | Web Production Eric Barch

Presented by TorrentFreak

Sponsored by Private Internet Access & Premiumize

Executive Producers: Mark Zapalac, Eric Barch, Nelson Larios, George Alvarez.

For sponsorship enquiries, please email info@stealthisshow.com