What the Hack? Episode 234: Big Breaches and Click Bots to AI and Beyond
Nov 11, 2025
Cybersecurity expert Neil Daswani, co-author of "Big Breaches," shares his insights into the world of online fraud and AI-related risks. He delves into the origins and economics of click fraud, highlighting his role in uncovering ClickBotA at Google. The conversation covers the grave dangers of identity breaches and the evolution of identity protection services. Neil also discusses how generative AI complicates phishing schemes and the need for effective regulations to ensure AI safety. Tune in for practical advice on navigating this complex digital landscape!
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Home Lab Found A Massive Click Fraud Ring
- Neil Daswani discovered ClickBotA in his personal lab and traced it to over 100,000 infected machines hitting Google ads.
- That incident launched his cybersecurity career and prompted Google to strengthen click-fraud defenses.
Make Attacks Economically Unattractive
- Google shifted strategy from detecting every malware sample to making click fraud economically unprofitable.
- Attacker incentives matter as much as technical defenses in reducing fraud at scale.
LifeLock's Database Kept Him Up At Night
- At LifeLock Neil protected millions of members and a database holding credit histories for 300+ million Americans.
- He says that database kept him up at night because of the sheer risk if abused.
