Cyber Hack
BBC World Service
They steal billions: Cyber Hack investigates the alleged cyber gangs and the heists and hacks they’re accused of carrying out. No one is said to be safe. From Hollywood studios, to international banks, from crypto exchanges to small businesses and health care companies, law enforcement agencies say they cause chaos around the globe. Who will be next? And where is the money going?Latest season: Evil Corp. The Russian Evil Corp is accused of being a family crime gang, responsible for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars. Law enforcement agencies say they are “the most pervasive cybercrime group to ever have operated”. No one is off limits – not even a group of nuns in Chicago.Previously on Cyber Hack: The Lazarus Heist. This hacking group is said to be behind the biggest crypto heist in history, stealing billions of dollars in the process. Investigators blame North Korea’s state-backed hackers The Lazarus Group, and say the stolen money is being used to finance its nuclear weapons and missile development programs. Pyongyang denies involvement. Among the Lazarus Group’s many targets are Hollywood’s Sony Entertainment and the Bank of Bangladesh. ATMs are cleaned out of money, while its operatives live double lives in a hacker hotel. But where does the money trail lead?
Episodes
Mentioned books
20 snips
Nov 17, 2025 • 45min
Evil Corp: 5. Game over
In this installment, former FBI special agent Keith Mularski, who went undercover as 'Master Splinter,' shares thrilling tales of infiltrating cybercriminal forums. He reveals the rise of the notorious group Evil Corp, led by Maxim Yakubets, responsible for sophisticated malware like CryptoLocker. Keith outlines the tense operations to seize control of the Game Over Zeus botnet and the evolution of ransomware tactics. With insights into real-world cyber crises, this discussion highlights the complex cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and cybercriminals.
22 snips
Nov 10, 2025 • 33min
Evil Corp: 4. The insider
In a rare jailhouse interview, Vyacheslav Kinchukov, known as Tank, reveals his journey from a privileged childhood in Ukraine to a leading figure in cybercrime. He shares how he dodged the FBI during a raid, leveraging political connections for protection. Topics include the evolution of his hacking techniques, including the ingenious use of Zeus malware for bank theft, and the extravagant lifestyle funded by millions in stolen cash. Tank's candid reflections on wanting to exit the criminal world by his mid-20s provide a gripping insight into a life of crime.
27 snips
Nov 3, 2025 • 30min
Evil Corp: 3. Agents on the doorstep
Detective Sergeant Simon Williams from London's Metropolitan Police, who spearheaded the UK raids against the Jabber Zeus network, shares thrilling insights into the high-stakes world of cybercrime. He reveals how personal details from hacker chat logs led to critical breakthroughs and discusses the tension of planning simultaneous international raids. Williams also recounts the unexpected challenges faced, including a last-minute tip-off that allowed some suspects to evade capture. The complexity of coordinating across borders showcases the ever-evolving cat-and-mouse game with cybercriminals.
31 snips
Oct 27, 2025 • 34min
Evil Corp: 2. Into the storm
Jim Craig, a rookie FBI agent, shares his gripping journey in tackling one of the largest cybercrime investigations involving the infamous Zeus malware. He recalls traveling to Ukraine to collaborate with local law enforcement over vodka in a dacha. Highlights include deciphering Russian chat logs, identifying key players like 'Aqua' and 'Tank,' and even using a pizza order to link a UK mule. With the help of international allies, Jim orchestrates a coordinated raid that could take down the entire operation, showcasing the thrilling intersection of law enforcement and technology.
40 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 39min
Evil Corp: 1. Zeus
Lawrence Baldwin, a former network engineer turned cybersecurity investigator, shares his thrilling journey infiltrating the notorious Zeus malware operation. He reveals the connection between lavish lifestyles in Moscow's underground and cybercrime. Lawrence discusses the challenges of tracking real-time conversations among hackers and how he directly warned victims about impending thefts. With tales of small businesses devastated by silent bank heists, he captures the gripping clash between cyber criminals and law enforcement's struggle to keep up.
Oct 17, 2025 • 4min
Evil Corp: Trailer
Accused of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars – Russia’s most wanted hackers. Just who are Evil Corp? In season 3 of Cyber Hack, we follow the years’ long trail with investigators as they try to track down the man alleged to be at the centre of it all, hacker Maksim Yakubets.Follow or subscribe to Cyber Hack, so you never miss an episode.
Oct 15, 2025 • 1min
The Lazarus Heist S2: A message to listeners
A message from Geoff White on changes you'll see to The Lazarus Heist podcast feed, which will now be called Cyber Hack, from the BBC World Service.
From this point on we're giving all series of this podcast the over-arching name of Cyber Hack. But don't worry, series 1 and 2 will remain as The Lazarus Heist, co-hosted by Geoff and Jean Lee.
And then we have a new series coming very soon, hosted by the BBC's Joe Tidy and Sarah Rainsford, looking at another alleged major hacking group.
You can listen to Cyber Hack, just as before, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Aug 18, 2025 • 56min
The Lazarus Heist S2: Special: The biggest heist yet
A staggering $1.5 billion vanishes in minutes due to a masterful heist by North Korea’s Lazarus Group, targeting the ByBit crypto exchange. As the heist unfolds, the geopolitical ramifications deepen with North Korean soldiers now fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine. A journalist’s gripping encounter with a North Korean POW sheds light on the realities of life in the secretive regime. With military tactics evolving and cyber capabilities expanding, Kim Jong-un's alignment with Putin raises alarming questions about future threats on the global stage.
May 21, 2023 • 41min
The Lazarus Heist S2: 9. Big spenders
“Are you a North Korean hacker? Yes, I am.” Investigators say money from the Lazarus Group’s hacks is flowing into Kim Jong-un’s nuclear weapons programme. Can it be stopped?
#LazarusHeist
6 snips
May 14, 2023 • 37min
The Lazarus Heist S2: 8. Bitcoin bandits
From millions to billions: the Lazarus Group get into cryptocurrency. North Korea tries to infiltrate companies from the inside, posing as job seekers. “We had a North Korean on our payroll”. Can investigators stop them cashing out their digital loot? #LazarusHeist
