Ransom War

How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security

Max Smeets

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Hardback

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English

C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd
20 February 2025

Defence strategy, planning & research; Weapons & equipment; Computer security

Ransomware, such as the hacking of the NHS for extortion, is a growing issue. It becomes 'Ransom War' when our national security is threatened.

Ransomware endangers the safety of citizens and undermines international stability and prosperity. It is malicious software that restricts users from accessing their systems or data. Victims are coerced into making payments to restore access or prevent the release of sensitive information.

The issue presents formidable challenges to national security. In May 2021, Colonial Pipeline, a Georgia-based company managing a large portion of the petroleum, diesel, and jet fuel transportation along the U.S. East Coast, fell victim to a ransomware attack. In response to this crisis, the Biden Administration scrambled to find alternative ways to transport oil along the East Coast using trucks, trains, and ships.

Ransomware also imposes severe hardship on individuals, with the most vulnerable often shouldering the heaviest burden. One chilling example took place in March 2023 when hackers targeted Lehigh Valley Health Network, a healthcare network in Pennsylvania. When the healthcare organisation refused to pay up, the hackers resorted to a despicable act, leaking personal data and private photographs of topless female breast cancer patients.

Ransomware has changed the hacking landscape, making governments prioritise protecting their societies from profit-driven hackers. In 2022, most of the British government's crisis management 'Cobra' meetings were convened in response to ransomware incidents, surpassing other national security emergencies. Yet curiously, little has been written about the inner workings of the groups responsible for deploying ransomware and the measures governments and organisations can take to combat this threat. These crucial questions demand investigation: What factors contribute to the surge in ransomware incidents? How are criminal ransomware groups organised and coordinated? Are their motivations purely financial, and does violence play a role in these operations? Furthermore, what transformations can we anticipate in future ransomware activities, and how can we effectively halt their progression?

By: Max Smeets
Imprint: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781911723912
ISBN 10: 191172391X
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 20 February 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Max Smeets DPhil is a leading expert in cyber conflict and security, who has written on cyber strategy for The Washington Post, War on the Rocks, Slate and others. He holds research positions at ETH Zurich, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation. Max is the author of Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security and No Shortcuts: Why States Struggle to Develop a Military Cyber Force (both published by Hurst), and the co-editor of Deter, Disrupt, or Deceive and Cyberspace and Instability. He also co-directs Visual Routes and serves as Managing Editor of Binding Hook.

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

'An expert look at the ins and outs of ransomware.' -- Kirkus Reviews '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, Harvard University, and author of Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy '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