Ira Winkler assembles elite hacking teams for methodical missions, similar to Ocean's 11 but with a structured and professional approach.
Stan's expertise in counterintelligence led to the discovery of a Chinese espionage network near the target company's research center, allowing the FBI to dismantle the operation.
Deep dives
Ira Winkler's Approach to Hacking
Ira Winkler specializes in assembling teams of former special forces and intelligence officers for hacking jobs. Unlike solo hackers, Ira's team follows a playbook and relies on their training and specialized skills. They approach hacking like a methodical mission, similar to Ocean's 11, but with a more structured and professional approach. Ira has built one of the most elite hacking teams in the country, capable of taking on missions worth over a billion dollars.
The Unique Team Members
Ira's team consists of highly skilled individuals with diverse backgrounds. Stew, a former Navy SEAL, aids in physical intrusions due to his fitness, tactical training, and knowledge of weak points in structures. Tony, a former Army counterintelligence officer, specializes in telephone social engineering, using traditional spying techniques to collect valuable information. Stan, a former Russian operative, provides insights into how spies operate and their methods of gathering intelligence. Together, their combined skills make them one of the most advanced hacking teams in the world.
A Successful Mission and an Unexpected Discovery
Ira's team was hired to conduct a simulation against a global company's research and development center, aiming to demonstrate their vulnerability to espionage. The team successfully gained access to critical servers and collected the required data, showing the potential financial damage such a breach could cause. However, during their mission, Stan discovered a Chinese intelligence operation operating in a small town near the research center. Stan's expertise in counterintelligence led to the discovery of an espionage network potentially gathering trade secrets. The team reported their findings, allowing the FBI to dismantle the operation.
Ira Winkler's specialty is assembling elite teams of special forces and intelligence officers to go after companies. Ira shares a story about a time he and his team broke into a global 5 company. A company so large that theft of intellictual property could result in billions of dollars of damage.
