The faces behind digital crime and cyberterrorism

Digital crime and cyberespionage have become almost daily news. Networks of cybercriminals and cyberspies are not only taking a serious financial toll on many companies and financial institutions, but are now also threatening national security and possibly meddling in the US election. While information-security professionals work around the clock to repair vulnerabilities and sweep intruders out of commercial organizations, government servers and national critical infrastructure, the question arises: Who are these inhabitants of what Nature called a "vast criminal underground"? What motivates them, and what might turn an everyday hacker into a cyberterrorist? Max Kilger has spent the last 15 years exploring the psychology and social dynamics of these actors. He will give us a rare look into these communities as well as a forecast of what emerging threats we may face.

Social media hashtag: #blackhats