Max Smeets
@maxwsmeets.bsky.social
Author of No Shortcuts & Ransom War
Co-director Virtual Routes (https://virtual-routes.org/), previously ECCRI
Managing Editor Binding Hook (https://bindinghook.com)
Senior Researcher, ETH Zurich
Co-director Virtual Routes (https://virtual-routes.org/), previously ECCRI
Managing Editor Binding Hook (https://bindinghook.com)
Senior Researcher, ETH Zurich
Published a new Pharos report today - and learned a lot in the process from @milenkowski.bsky.social Jiro, @julianferdinand.bsky.social @tgrossman.bsky.social. The report takes a closer look at how states are using ransomware.
virtual-routes.org/wp-content/u...
virtual-routes.org/wp-content/u...
April 23, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Published a new Pharos report today - and learned a lot in the process from @milenkowski.bsky.social Jiro, @julianferdinand.bsky.social @tgrossman.bsky.social. The report takes a closer look at how states are using ransomware.
virtual-routes.org/wp-content/u...
virtual-routes.org/wp-content/u...
I just learned that Ransom War will also be an audiobook. It runs for 9 hours and 30 minutes. I guess perfect if you are looking to fill a small gap in your schedule.
April 8, 2025 at 5:57 PM
I just learned that Ransom War will also be an audiobook. It runs for 9 hours and 30 minutes. I guess perfect if you are looking to fill a small gap in your schedule.
The Ransomware Countermeasures Tracker is now updated with all relevant 2025 government actions: virtual-routes.org/ransomware-c...
April 7, 2025 at 7:19 AM
The Ransomware Countermeasures Tracker is now updated with all relevant 2025 government actions: virtual-routes.org/ransomware-c...
Just wrapped up a special week of research at the NCA on a new ransomware project. Gained lots of new insights and plenty to think about. More to follow soon!
April 4, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Just wrapped up a special week of research at the NCA on a new ransomware project. Gained lots of new insights and plenty to think about. More to follow soon!
Thanks for upgrading my collection @ransomwaresommelier.com
March 25, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Thanks for upgrading my collection @ransomwaresommelier.com
With the Underbelly Boulevard Soho in London, we have chosen a venue that makes it easy to shift gears - from larger keynotes to lightning talks, and smaller closed-door fireside chats (and maybe even a bit of live music in between).
March 24, 2025 at 7:53 PM
With the Underbelly Boulevard Soho in London, we have chosen a venue that makes it easy to shift gears - from larger keynotes to lightning talks, and smaller closed-door fireside chats (and maybe even a bit of live music in between).
Very solid education-to-buck ratio at ETH!
What also impresses me is that lower staff like RAs are relatively well paid (& PhDs well funded). Very different from when I was scraping by during my PhD, teaching at 5 colleges in Oxford (and doing tennis coaching)
www.tagesanzeiger.ch/eth-zuerich-...
What also impresses me is that lower staff like RAs are relatively well paid (& PhDs well funded). Very different from when I was scraping by during my PhD, teaching at 5 colleges in Oxford (and doing tennis coaching)
www.tagesanzeiger.ch/eth-zuerich-...
February 26, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Very solid education-to-buck ratio at ETH!
What also impresses me is that lower staff like RAs are relatively well paid (& PhDs well funded). Very different from when I was scraping by during my PhD, teaching at 5 colleges in Oxford (and doing tennis coaching)
www.tagesanzeiger.ch/eth-zuerich-...
What also impresses me is that lower staff like RAs are relatively well paid (& PhDs well funded). Very different from when I was scraping by during my PhD, teaching at 5 colleges in Oxford (and doing tennis coaching)
www.tagesanzeiger.ch/eth-zuerich-...
The deadline for the European Cybersecurity Fellowship is just two days away. Applications close this Sunday at 23:59 CET.
To apply, you must be under 35 and reside in a European country (includes non-EU..)
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
To apply, you must be under 35 and reside in a European country (includes non-EU..)
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
February 22, 2025 at 6:01 AM
The deadline for the European Cybersecurity Fellowship is just two days away. Applications close this Sunday at 23:59 CET.
To apply, you must be under 35 and reside in a European country (includes non-EU..)
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
To apply, you must be under 35 and reside in a European country (includes non-EU..)
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
Now n the train back from Munich after a few intense days at @munsecconf.bsky.social
Some new ideas. AI was of course front and center. Both the regulatory and policy landscape is shifting & the Q what AI will (not) change is still being figured out.
And yet, there was also a sense of déjà vu..
Some new ideas. AI was of course front and center. Both the regulatory and policy landscape is shifting & the Q what AI will (not) change is still being figured out.
And yet, there was also a sense of déjà vu..
February 16, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Now n the train back from Munich after a few intense days at @munsecconf.bsky.social
Some new ideas. AI was of course front and center. Both the regulatory and policy landscape is shifting & the Q what AI will (not) change is still being figured out.
And yet, there was also a sense of déjà vu..
Some new ideas. AI was of course front and center. Both the regulatory and policy landscape is shifting & the Q what AI will (not) change is still being figured out.
And yet, there was also a sense of déjà vu..
An insightful discussion with Christopher Ahlberg, Jean-Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, and Anne Neuberger on how technology is reshaping warfare.
February 14, 2025 at 11:32 AM
An insightful discussion with Christopher Ahlberg, Jean-Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, and Anne Neuberger on how technology is reshaping warfare.
Little present placed on my chair at GSEC Munich - not a lot of new info in the report, but useful for agenda setting
February 12, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Little present placed on my chair at GSEC Munich - not a lot of new info in the report, but useful for agenda setting
3/3 In the book, I distinguish between 11 stages of Conti's MO/Playbook:
February 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
3/3 In the book, I distinguish between 11 stages of Conti's MO/Playbook:
1/3 Just got my first review for Ransom War. A fair point that it is not exactly for the general reader. As the reviewer notes, I argue that understanding ransomware groups requires looking at their Modus Operandi, Organizational Structure, and Branding & Reputation (what I call the MOB Framework.)
February 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
1/3 Just got my first review for Ransom War. A fair point that it is not exactly for the general reader. As the reviewer notes, I argue that understanding ransomware groups requires looking at their Modus Operandi, Organizational Structure, and Branding & Reputation (what I call the MOB Framework.)
This past week was a special one with the launch of Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security. After all the time spent on this.., seeing the book finally out and getting to talk about it with so many sharp minds is something I won’t forget!
February 10, 2025 at 6:12 AM
This past week was a special one with the launch of Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security. After all the time spent on this.., seeing the book finally out and getting to talk about it with so many sharp minds is something I won’t forget!
The Tracker is based on a dataset I developed for the last chapter of my forthcoming book, Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security
www.amazon.co.uk/Ransom-War-B...
www.amazon.co.uk/Ransom-War-B...
January 30, 2025 at 12:25 PM
The Tracker is based on a dataset I developed for the last chapter of my forthcoming book, Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security
www.amazon.co.uk/Ransom-War-B...
www.amazon.co.uk/Ransom-War-B...
Are you a graduate student interested in tech and global affairs, looking for a flexible one-day-a-week job alongside your studies? We have openings in various fields at @virtualroutes.bsky.social! Come join us!
virtual-routes.org/vacancies/
virtual-routes.org/vacancies/
January 22, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Are you a graduate student interested in tech and global affairs, looking for a flexible one-day-a-week job alongside your studies? We have openings in various fields at @virtualroutes.bsky.social! Come join us!
virtual-routes.org/vacancies/
virtual-routes.org/vacancies/
This aspect of restructuring authority between NSA and USCYBERCOM in light of a dual-hat split is one I hadn’t considered before:
December 19, 2024 at 6:49 AM
This aspect of restructuring authority between NSA and USCYBERCOM in light of a dual-hat split is one I hadn’t considered before:
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
December 18, 2024 at 10:49 AM
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
Bag replacement ECCRI --> @virtualroutes.bsky.social
November 29, 2024 at 7:13 PM
Bag replacement ECCRI --> @virtualroutes.bsky.social
A great group of scholars contributed to this edited volume:
November 19, 2024 at 3:56 PM
A great group of scholars contributed to this edited volume:
The final stretch begins - book proofs have arrived!
October 18, 2024 at 9:44 AM
The final stretch begins - book proofs have arrived!
I am excited to announce my new book “Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security” published by Oxford University Press and Hurst Publishers, out in February 2025
September 12, 2024 at 7:12 AM
I am excited to announce my new book “Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security” published by Oxford University Press and Hurst Publishers, out in February 2025