The Upside Down: making sense of the business models, organizational structure, and the economy of the cybercrime

Welcome to Venture in Security! Before we begin, do me a favor and make sure you hit the “Subscribe” button. Subscriptions let me know that you care and keep me motivated to write more. Thanks folks! Thanks for supporting Venture in Security! Although the vast majority of the attacks are driven by financial motivations, it is still rare to see discussions about the business side of cybercrime. This knowledge vacuum is a big problem for cyber defense because it is not possible to get ahead of the adversary if we as an industry are just reactively chasing their business moves. For the defense to outpace the offense, we need to take a broader view of cybercrime and understand its mechanics, incentive systems, supply and value chains, demand drivers, and interested parties. The Upside Down from Stranger Things is an alternative dimension that mirrors our world. In Upside Down, there is no order, no real structure: this mysterious place is overrun by unknown creatures that operate in largel

Welcome to Venture in Security! Before we begin, do me a favor and make sure you hit the “Subscribe” button. Subscriptions let me know that you care and keep me motivated to write more. Thanks folks! Although the vast majority of the attacks are driven by financial motivations, it is still rare to see discussions about the business side of cybercrime. This knowledge vacuum is a big problem for cyber defense because it is not possible to get ahead of the adversary if we as an industry are just reactively chasing their business moves. For the defense to outpace the offense, we need to take a…

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