Hackers aren’t untouchable—and sometimes, they become the victims. From North Korean operatives getting exposed at DEF CON, to ransomware gangs like Conti and LockBit crumbling under betrayal and rival leaks, the underground is full of double-crosses and takedowns. Now, Congress is even debating whether to bring back “letters of marque” to authorize cyber privateers to hack back on behalf of the United States. Join LMG Security’s Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin for a fast-paced discussion of headline cases, the lessons defenders can learn from these leaks, and what the future of hacker-on-hacker warfare could mean for your organization.

Key Takeaways  

1. Don’t mythologize adversaries. State actors and ransomware gangs are fallible; design defenses to exploit their mistakes. 
2. Invest in visibility. Many hacker exposures happened because attackers reused credentials, tools, or infrastructure — the same patterns defenders can detect if monitoring is strong. 
3. Watch for insider threats. Disgruntled employees or partners can dismantle even powerful groups — monitor for early warning signs. 
4. Use leaks for training and education. Incorporate hacker chat logs, playbooks, and leaked toolkits into exercises to build staff skills and awareness. 
5. Adapt your IR playbooks. Align response plans with real-world attacker tactics revealed in leaks — and be ready to update as new intelligence emerges. 

Resources

• TechCrunch: Hackers Breach and Expose a Major North Korean Spying Operation
• TheRegister: Congressman proposes bringing back letters of marque for cyber privateers
• LMG Security: Our Q3 2024 Top Control is Third-Party Risk Management

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