Difficulty Interviewing Exploit Developers

Summary: Finding exploit developers for interviews is challenging, even at hacker conferences. They are reluctant to speak, especially those who sell exploits to the highest bidder. Even when identifiable, these individuals avoid interviews. Insights:

• Exploit developers who sell vulnerabilities are the hardest to interview.
• Even when seemingly surrounded by potential exploit sellers, getting them to talk is a challenge.
• There's a visible, yet uncommunicative, interaction between exploit developers and potential government buyers at hacker conferences. Proper Nouns:
• Nicole Perlroth: Cybersecurity reporter for the NY Times and author of the book being discussed.
• Eco Party: A hacker conference in Argentina where Perlroth attempted to interview exploit developers.
• Frederico Kirschban: A friend of Perlroth's who runs the Eco Party conference.

Research

• What motivates exploit developers to remain silent?
• What are the legal and ethical implications that might discourage them from speaking publicly?
• Are there alternative ways to gather information about the exploit market, given the difficulty of direct interviews?