Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security

by Max Smeets Narrated by Walter Dixon

Overview

This timely book explores the alarming rise of ransomware: malicious software blocking users from their systems or data until they've paid money to regain access or to prevent the release of sensitive information. High-profile British examples of the twenty-first century have targeted national libraries and healthcare organizations; in the US, hackers of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley Health Network held patient data hostage-when their demands went unmet, they published topless photographs of women with breast cancer.



The issue presents formidable challenges and costs for businesses, national security and, as the Pennsylvania case showed, individuals-often society's most vulnerable. But we can watch and learn from cyber extortionists, leaving us better prepared for next time. In 2022, a series of devastating ransomware attacks prompted Costa Rica's president to declare a national emergency, describing a "state of war." This episode had much to tell us about how these networks arise, operate, organize-and collapse.



Max Smeets's landmark study demystifies the ransomware playbook, from funding to networking. Through one of the largest ransomware operations on record, he reveals how this challenge has evolved, how it differs in substance and style from traditional cyber/hacking threats, and how to combat it.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Written with clarity and insight, Ransom War dispels media-fuelled myths about ransomware groups, offering a clear-eyed and persuasive sociological analysis of how these entities actually operate—from their technical logistics to their branding strategies. Far from being disorganised criminals, these operators thrive through ever-more sophisticated communication strategies and meticulous reputation management." — Gabriella Coleman, Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University and author of Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy

"Ransomware has become one of the most serious national security threats facing the West, sapping our prosperity and disrupting our schools and hospitals. No one has thought longer or harder about the challenge than Max Smeets. His outstanding book explains why ransomware is different from other cyber threats, with attackers relying on building trust with their victims, and what governments can do about it." — Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist

" "Ransom War is an invaluable source for understanding the evolution and scope of the ransomware threat and making sense of the many players and their tactics. Smeets has done an excellent job of mapping this complex criminal ecosystem and creating a framework to aid further analysis." — Kim Zetter, author of Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World's First Digital Weapon

"An expert look at the ins and outs of ransomware."— Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2025-02-15
Malicious and mysterious.

Smeets, author ofNo Shortcuts: Why States Struggle To Develop a Military Cyber-Force, explains that criminals, often based in Russia, send out malicious viruses that freeze a computer’s software and then demand a ransom in exchange for a code to unfreeze it. More recently, they have added a double extortion: threatening to publish stolen data if not paid. These groups have thrived within a highly professionalized criminal ecosystem of recognized brands and offshoots that offer ransomware as a service—criminals sign up, and the service takes care of technical details in exchange for a fee. Smeets delivers a detailed account of the operation of Conti, for several years the world’s largest ransomware group. His work was possible because Conti enthusiastically supported Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and an outraged Ukrainian with access to their files leaked thousands. Smeets divides Conti’s framework into three elements: modus operandi, organizational structure, and branding and reputation. Generous with charts and excerpts from its files, he delivers a detailed portrait of a highly specialized if inefficient criminal ecosystem; even its leaders are in their 20s and 30s. Readers expecting tales of devilish cybercrimes or law enforcement triumphs will realize their error within a few pages. This is not an exposé but a sober exploration of an ongoing high-tech extortion racket. Including a fair amount of technical language that’s over the heads of the average computer user, it seems directed at business students or executives with some responsibility for security.

An expert look at the ins and outs of ransomware.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940194097616
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	05/27/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos