cybercrime
3 published articles
Offensive Hacking Under Federal Oversight
The US is outsourcing offensive hacking. Knowing who to hit is the catch
A new presidential memorandum lets private cybersecurity firms conduct international attacks on foreign criminals under DOJ and DHS oversight, with a $1 million bond as the backstop. Researchers say the rule banning strikes on state-run groups is nearly impossible to apply.
2026-08-22
Ransomware & Cybercrime
DeadLock ransomware puts its leak site on Polygon to dodge takedowns
Microsoft's teardown of DeadLock shows victim chats routed over Session and leak posts stored in Polygon smart contracts. The design resists the domain seizures that normally disrupt extortion operations, and it is already working: 80+ organizations published since July 2025.
2026-08-14
International crackdown
Teen accused in scattered spider hacking crew extradited to the US
Peter Stokes, 19, was extradited from Finland to the U.S. on charges tied to the Scattered Spider hacking crew. The group has been linked to over 100 intrusions and $100 million in ransom payments, targeting casinos, retailers, and airlines. Stokes appeared in Chicago federal court on June 30 and is being held in custody.
2026-07-02