The latest season of the BBC podcast Cyber Hack offers listeners a detailed look at the real-world impact of international cybercrime, focusing on the notorious Conti ransomware gang.
The six-part series begins in Redcar, where a ransomware attack in February 2020 severely disrupted local council services, putting vulnerable people at risk as data was held to ransom.
From this local incident, the investigation expands to reveal how Conti’s operations affected organisations and communities worldwide, including a major disruption to Ireland’s Health Service Executive and the high-profile hack of Graff Diamonds, which saw personal data of clients leaked and prompted a rare public U-turn by the gang.
The series also follows the story of a Los Angeles screenwriter who travelled to Moscow to work on a film about hackers, only to discover the production company was a front for the very criminals being depicted.
Conti, primarily based in Russia with affiliates in Ukraine and elsewhere, is examined in detail, including how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine became a turning point that contributed to the group’s collapse.
Host Geoff White, an investigative journalist and author, uses analysis of tens of thousands of leaked private messages and rare video footage to uncover the identities and operations of Conti members, providing insight into life inside a global ransomware organisation.
Actors voice the leaked messages throughout the series, giving audiences a unique perspective on the inner workings of a criminal enterprise that operated much like a conventional business, with HR departments, bonuses and holidays, but whose trade was digital blackmail on a global scale.
Geoff said: “Normally, it’s the hackers who are invading our lives. In this series, we turn the tables and step inside theirs.
“By listening to their own words, audiences can finally understand how a ruthless ransomware gang really operated, and the human cost of their crimes.”
Chris Burns, Head of Local Audio Commissioning, commented: “This season shows exactly why cybercrime is not just a technical issue but a deeply human one.
“By connecting a global story to local communities, Cyber Hack brings audiences closer to the real-life impact of these crimes, shining a light on how they affect local people, services and societies at every level.”
Episodes of Cyber Hack: The Conti Files are released weekly from Monday 6 July on most podcast platforms. UK listeners can access the full boxset on BBC Sounds, while international listeners can subscribe to BBC Podcasts Premium on Apple Podcasts.
