Dispatch CyberPolice or CyberSoldiers? The Complexities of High and Low Policing in Cyberspace

About our Guest:

Dr. Chad Whelan

https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/people/chad-whelan#

Papers mentioned in this episode:

Dupont, B., & Whelan, C. (2021). Enhancing relationships between criminology and cybersecurity. Journal of criminology, 00048658211003925.

https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00048658211003925

Manuscript available from the University of Montreal

 

Other:

About the Darkside cybercrime group:

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/05/a-closer-look-at-the-darkside-ransomware-gang/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DarkSide_(hacking_group)

About the REvil  cybercrime group:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REvil

Some technical information:

https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/revil-threat-actors/ 

A timeline of some interesting developments related to this issue:

2021, May 14. 

The moral underground? Ransomware operators retreat after Colonial Pipeline hack

https://intel471.com/blog/darkside-ransomware-shut-down-revil-avaddon-cybercrime

2021, June 7 .

Department of Justice Seizes $2.3 Million in Cryptocurrency Paid to the Ransomware Extortionists Darkside

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-seizes-23-million-cryptocurrency-paid-ransomware-extortionists-darkside

2021, July 20 

Operation Orcus Task Force Established To Fight Ransomware Gangs

https://australiancybersecuritymagazine.com.au/operation-orcus-task-force-established-to-fight-ransomware-gangs/

2021, Aug 5 

Ransomware Gangs and the Name Game Distraction

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/08/ransomware-gangs-and-the-name-game-distraction/

2021, Oct 5. 

NSA chief predicts U.S. will face ransomware ‘every single day’ for years to come ("Ransomware is a national security issue. I firmly believe that.”)

https://therecord.media/nsa-chief-predicts-u-s-will-face-ransomware-every-single-day-for-years-to-come/

2021, Oct 7.

Netherlands can use intelligence or armed forces to respond to ransomware attacks

https://therecord.media/netherlands-can-use-intelligence-or-armed-forces-to-respond-to-ransomware-attacks/

2021, Oct 11.

UK cyber head says Russia responsible for 'devastating' ransomware attacks

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58877433.amp

2021, Oct 21. 

Governments turn tables on ransomware gang REvil by pushing it offline

https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-governments-turn-tables-ransomware-gang-revil-by-pushing-it-offline-2021-10-21/

2021, Oct 25. 

Groove Calls for Cyberattacks on US as REvil Payback

https://threatpost.com/groove-ransomware-revil-revenge-us-cyberattacks/175726/

Other Other:

The intro for this was drawn from a 1968 film on the role of PSYOPS in assisting developing countries in cementing their shiny new system of government installed by the US called "Psychological Operations in Support of Internal Defense and Development Assistance Programs " which is in the Public Domain and available from https://archive.org/details/0095_Psychological_Operations_in_Support_of_Internal_Defense_and_Dev_07_21_47_00