Episode 12 - Inside the Cyber Underworld: North Korea, Crypto Heists & Global Scams with Geoff White

In this episode of Detonation Point presented by Elastio, Matt O’Neill and journalist Geoff White discuss North Korea’s cybercrime activity, including the “supernote” counterfeit scheme and large crypto thefts. They cover how money laundering enables cybercrime, why stolen crypto is difficult to recover, the rise of ransomware, and the pandemic-driven surge in scams. They emphasize the need for stronger coordination between financial institutions, the private sector, and law enforcement.TakeawaysNorth Korea carries out advanced cybercrime, including counterfeiting and hacking.A Supernote shows its ability to make near-perfect fake U.S. currency.Geoff White moved into cybercrime reporting as digital crime expanded.Money laundering underpins most cybercriminal activity.Stolen crypto is hard to recover.Ransomware expanded quickly through affiliate models.Scam victims often face skepticism.Pandemic-era online activity drove fraud growth.Cross-sector cooperation is essential.ResourcesAbout Geoff WhiteWebsiteBooksRinsedThe Lazarus HeistCrime Dot ComPodcasts The Lazarus HeistCyber Hack: The Lazarus Heist Season Two Trailer The Dark WebChapters00:00Introduction to Cybercrime and North Korea01:36The Supernote: North Korea's Counterfeiting Operations05:11Transitioning from Journalism to Cybercrime Investigation07:35The Role of Money Laundering in Cybercrime09:53Cryptocurrency: A Double-Edged Sword for Criminals13:34The Evolving Landscape of Cybercrime and Regulation17:03North Korea's Collaboration with Russian Cybercriminals20:32Innovative Cases in Money Laundering and Cybercrime26:00The Rise of Next-Gen Fraud29:43The Interplay of Cyber Crime and Money Laundering31:31Victim Perspectives and Law Enforcement Challenges38:12The Role of Private Sector in Combating Scams39:31Ransomware: The Evolving Threat47:52Concluding Thoughts and Future DirectionsAbout Our Founding Sponsor, Elastio This podcast is proudly presented by Elastio, the control point for cyber resiliency—because survival depends on clean recoveries. As our Founding Sponsor, Elastio continuously validates backups, bridging the gap between security tools and immutable storage. With AI-driven detection and zero-day recovery, Elastio ensures data is clean, uncompromised, and always recoverable. Learn more: www.elastio.com

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