Max Smeets

Max Smeets, Co-Director of Virtual Routes and Senior Researcher at ETH Zurich, delves into ransomware's evolution and its alarming implications for national security. He discusses the 'trust paradox' in ransomware groups and their complex internal dynamics. Smeets also explores the sophisticated 'triple extortion' tactics used by cybercriminals, the geopolitical ties involving state actors, and challenges in international collaboration to combat these threats. The conversation highlights the need for pragmatic government responses to ransomware payments, emphasizing a reevaluation of strategies to tackle this growing menace.

Dr. Max Smeets, a Senior Researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, is an expert in military cyber-force development. He discusses the complexities nations face in building military cyber capabilities and the evolution of military cyber operations. Smeets unpacks the P, P, T, I, O framework and highlights the critical role of workforce and infrastructure. He also delves into the use of cyber proxies, the myths surrounding cyber operations, and the importance of balancing work with insightful reading.

“Cyberspace is the domain of modern warfare” is a popular headline in recent times. Recent state and non-state cyber attacks have given support to this notion, but beyond vague national cyber strategies and new cyber commands, not much is publicly known about a state’s military cyber capacity. To get a better understanding of the current state of militarization in cyberspace, Lawfare fellow in cybersecurity law Alvaro Marañon sat down with Max Smeets, senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich and the director of the European Cyber Conflict Research Initiative. They explored Max’s new book, “No Shortcuts: Why States Struggle to Develop a Military Cyber-Force.” They also discussed the barriers of entry for states to participate in cyber conflict, how we should go about thinking about military cyber capacity, and how external actors can influence a state’s cyber capability development process. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.