James Shires
@jamesshires.bsky.social
Co-Director, Virtual Routes (virtual-routes.org)
Managing Editor, Binding Hook (bindinghook.com)
Author of The Politics of Cybersecurity in the Middle East
Managing Editor, Binding Hook (bindinghook.com)
Author of The Politics of Cybersecurity in the Middle East
🕺A whole new look for Binding Hook!
🚀 Our new website is now live! 🌕 Same high-quality content, now in a new package. Check it out: bindinghook.com
August 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
🕺A whole new look for Binding Hook!
Reposted by James Shires
In their latest for Binding Hook, the @nca-uk.bsky.social’s William Lyne and @rusi.bsky.social’s @jamiemaccoll.bsky.social discuss the problems with media and cyber industry descriptions of #ransomware groups’ #biggamehunting: bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
It’s time to move the ransomware conversation past big game hunting
Presenting ransomware as targeted instead of opportunistic leaves organisations that may not consider themselves prime targets at risk.
bindinghook.com
June 18, 2025 at 6:32 AM
In their latest for Binding Hook, the @nca-uk.bsky.social’s William Lyne and @rusi.bsky.social’s @jamiemaccoll.bsky.social discuss the problems with media and cyber industry descriptions of #ransomware groups’ #biggamehunting: bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
Our #CyCon2025 #ransomware workshop, now in video! 🎞️ Watch the recap and join us for a quick trip back to Tallinn. 👇 @maxwsmeets.bsky.social @jamesshires.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb7G...
Virtual Routes at CyCon 2025
YouTube video by Virtual Routes
www.youtube.com
June 2, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Our #CyCon2025 #ransomware workshop, now in video! 🎞️ Watch the recap and join us for a quick trip back to Tallinn. 👇 @maxwsmeets.bsky.social @jamesshires.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb7G...
Reposted by James Shires
#CyCon2025 mission accomplished! 🎯 #VirtualRoutes workshop Ransomware: Crime, Conflict, and Cyber Defences is done. Thank you to the brilliant leads @maxwsmeets.bsky.social, @jamesshires.bsky.social, Gijs van Loon, Marine Pichon & Roxana Radu, everyone who joined us and #CCDCOE for having us!
May 29, 2025 at 3:22 PM
#CyCon2025 mission accomplished! 🎯 #VirtualRoutes workshop Ransomware: Crime, Conflict, and Cyber Defences is done. Thank you to the brilliant leads @maxwsmeets.bsky.social, @jamesshires.bsky.social, Gijs van Loon, Marine Pichon & Roxana Radu, everyone who joined us and #CCDCOE for having us!
@virtualroutes.bsky.social is expanding the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars program to the Netherlands, focusing on defending local communities against ransomware. Current university students can register interest now virtual-routes.org/initiatives/...
Cybersecurity Seminars NL - Virtual Routes
The Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars program has been successfully implemented in higher education institutions across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and is now being launched in the Netherland...
virtual-routes.org
May 14, 2025 at 8:56 AM
@virtualroutes.bsky.social is expanding the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars program to the Netherlands, focusing on defending local communities against ransomware. Current university students can register interest now virtual-routes.org/initiatives/...
Reposted by James Shires
The arrest of a suspect after a spate of #RansomwareAttacks in the Netherlands is an unusual win for law enforcement, but a more holistic approach is required. Read the new piece by @jamesshires.bsky.social and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
Ransomware groups are not always out of reach
The arrest of a suspect after a spate of ransomware attacks in the Netherlands is an unusual win for law enforcement, but a more holistic approach is required.
bindinghook.com
May 14, 2025 at 7:38 AM
The arrest of a suspect after a spate of #RansomwareAttacks in the Netherlands is an unusual win for law enforcement, but a more holistic approach is required. Read the new piece by @jamesshires.bsky.social and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
Reposted by James Shires
Read an excerpt from Aleksandar Milenkoski, Jiro Minier, @julianferdinand.bsky.social, @maxwsmeets.bsky.social, and @tgrossman.bsky.social’s new report on state use of #ransomware, looking at Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China, on Binding Hook: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
State-backed ransomware at the intersection of espionage, sabotage, and cybercrime
The governments of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea use ransomware for diverse ends.
bindinghook.com
May 6, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Read an excerpt from Aleksandar Milenkoski, Jiro Minier, @julianferdinand.bsky.social, @maxwsmeets.bsky.social, and @tgrossman.bsky.social’s new report on state use of #ransomware, looking at Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China, on Binding Hook: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
Reposted by James Shires
🎤Speaking at #BindingHookLive: @jags.bsky.social, Executive Director for Intelligence and Security Research at @sentinelone.com, Distinguished Fellow and Adj. Professor at the Johns Hopkins SAIS @alperovitch.institute, and founder of #LABScon. 📩 Request an invite: bindinghooklive.com
April 25, 2025 at 10:21 AM
🎤Speaking at #BindingHookLive: @jags.bsky.social, Executive Director for Intelligence and Security Research at @sentinelone.com, Distinguished Fellow and Adj. Professor at the Johns Hopkins SAIS @alperovitch.institute, and founder of #LABScon. 📩 Request an invite: bindinghooklive.com
Reposted by James Shires
North Korean operatives are exploiting #identitymanagement flaws to secure legitimate jobs globally, using fake resumes and fabricated digital profiles on platforms like GitHub and LinkedIn. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
North Korean operatives invent identities to infiltrate industries
North Korean IT workers are no longer just breaching organisations – they’re being hired by them. This is because companies treat identity management as a compliance issue instead of a serious nationa...
bindinghook.com
April 29, 2025 at 6:10 AM
North Korean operatives are exploiting #identitymanagement flaws to secure legitimate jobs globally, using fake resumes and fabricated digital profiles on platforms like GitHub and LinkedIn. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
🚀 The Ecole Superieure d’Informatique, Electronique, Automatique's (ESIEA) Cybersecurity Seminars program is live! @jamesshires.bsky.social joined students & faculty in Paris to explore global cybersecurity synergies 🌍
🔗 Event recap: virtual-routes.org/esiea-launch...
🔗 Event recap: virtual-routes.org/esiea-launch...
ESIEA launches Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars program in Paris
On 7 April, the Ecole Superieure d’Informatique, Electronique, Automatique (ESIEA) launched its Cybersecurity Seminars program at its campus in Paris.
virtual-routes.org
April 11, 2025 at 11:05 AM
🚀 The Ecole Superieure d’Informatique, Electronique, Automatique's (ESIEA) Cybersecurity Seminars program is live! @jamesshires.bsky.social joined students & faculty in Paris to explore global cybersecurity synergies 🌍
🔗 Event recap: virtual-routes.org/esiea-launch...
🔗 Event recap: virtual-routes.org/esiea-launch...
Reposted by James Shires
In early April, @jamesshires.bsky.social chaired a panel on the availability of cyber intrusion tools and services at the 2nd Pall Mall Process conference. The discussion generated recommendations that can inform the implementation of the CCIC Code of Practice 👉 virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
Virtual Routes contributes to third Pall Mall Process conference in Paris
On 3-4 April, the third conference of the Pall Mall Process took place in Paris. The Pall Mall Process is a multistakeholder initiative launched by the UK and French governments to address the risks o...
virtual-routes.org
April 14, 2025 at 12:45 PM
In early April, @jamesshires.bsky.social chaired a panel on the availability of cyber intrusion tools and services at the 2nd Pall Mall Process conference. The discussion generated recommendations that can inform the implementation of the CCIC Code of Practice 👉 virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
Reposted by James Shires
Cyber operations are often either underhyped or overhyped. While life-threatening attacks get little attention, routine intelligence operations are treated as hostile #cyberattacks, clouding public perception, writes @lawsecnet.counterintelligence.pl. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Towards an accurate description of cyber operations
Cyber operations can range from espionage to sabotage, but they are often described in uniform ways, leading to misconceptions and inadequate responses. Using plain language to describe the goals and ...
bindinghook.com
April 10, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Cyber operations are often either underhyped or overhyped. While life-threatening attacks get little attention, routine intelligence operations are treated as hostile #cyberattacks, clouding public perception, writes @lawsecnet.counterintelligence.pl. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
European Cybersecurity fellow Kritika Roy explores the continuing debate over commercial cyber threat intelligence: is it essential or redundant given the rise of free, open-source intelligence? #CTI #OSINT bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Is commercial cyber threat intelligence doomed?
Virtual Routes fellows explore the challenges facing commercial CTI, including the expansion of free OSINT and limits on public-private partnerships.
bindinghook.com
April 8, 2025 at 11:54 AM
European Cybersecurity fellow Kritika Roy explores the continuing debate over commercial cyber threat intelligence: is it essential or redundant given the rise of free, open-source intelligence? #CTI #OSINT bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
The #Prabowo administration has cut cyber budgets, stopped work on the #cyberforce, and generally deprioritised #cybersecurity. This shift risks leaving #Indonesia ill-prepared for rising cyber threats. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Neglecting cybersecurity could harm Indonesia’s competitiveness
President Prabowo’s turn away from his predecessor’s cyber ambitions is symptomatic of wider strategic failings
bindinghook.com
April 1, 2025 at 12:44 PM
The #Prabowo administration has cut cyber budgets, stopped work on the #cyberforce, and generally deprioritised #cybersecurity. This shift risks leaving #Indonesia ill-prepared for rising cyber threats. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
Binding Hook is excited to introduce @virtualroutes.bsky.social newest cohort of European Cybersecurity fellows with a short series exploring their answers to some of the biggest questions in #cybersecurity today: bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
From hacktivism to development coordination, cyber conflict blind spots bring risks
Virtual Routes fellows identify three key blind spots in our understanding of cyber conflict: the risks of new forms of hacktivism, insufficient EU defense coordination, and cybersecurity risks in the...
bindinghook.com
March 26, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Binding Hook is excited to introduce @virtualroutes.bsky.social newest cohort of European Cybersecurity fellows with a short series exploring their answers to some of the biggest questions in #cybersecurity today: bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
🚨 Introducing the Pharos Reports - a new series shedding light on #Cybersecurity and #EmergingTech challenges with expert analysis! Read the first report in the series, The Ransomware Playbook and How to Disrupt It, authored by @maxwsmeets.bsky.social: virtual-routes.org/introducing-...
March 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
🚨 Introducing the Pharos Reports - a new series shedding light on #Cybersecurity and #EmergingTech challenges with expert analysis! Read the first report in the series, The Ransomware Playbook and How to Disrupt It, authored by @maxwsmeets.bsky.social: virtual-routes.org/introducing-...
Reposted by James Shires
Reports suggest the Trump administration directed key agencies to pause #cyberoperations against Russia, reigniting debate about the need for #initiativepersistence in cyberspace. Where do private-sector organisations fit in? bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Deception can enable private-sector initiative persistence
By using cyber operations to deceive adversaries, the private sector can act persistently without conducting ‘attacks’
bindinghook.com
March 18, 2025 at 6:34 AM
Reports suggest the Trump administration directed key agencies to pause #cyberoperations against Russia, reigniting debate about the need for #initiativepersistence in cyberspace. Where do private-sector organisations fit in? bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Before the Gaza war, cybersecurity was once at the forefront of the UAE and Israel's burgeoning diplomatic ties - where did it go?
A new article from @jamesshires.bsky.social out now in @bindinghook.bsky.social - dive in! 👇
The war in #Gaza has also impacted the UAE-Israel #cybersecurity partnership. Strengthened since the 2020 #AbrahamAccords, the UAE is trying now to revert to discreet back-room deals, writes @jamesshires.bsky.social.
March 13, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Before the Gaza war, cybersecurity was once at the forefront of the UAE and Israel's burgeoning diplomatic ties - where did it go?
Reposted by James Shires
Join us at the next Virtual Routes Colloquium session! 👇
⏰ March 12, 16:00 CET
💡 Pieter Wolters (Interdisciplinary Hub for Digitalization and Society, Radboud University) and Nils Brinker (intcube)
💭 Hybrid conflicts, cybersecurity and enterprises
Sign up: virtual-routes.org/event/hybrid...
⏰ March 12, 16:00 CET
💡 Pieter Wolters (Interdisciplinary Hub for Digitalization and Society, Radboud University) and Nils Brinker (intcube)
💭 Hybrid conflicts, cybersecurity and enterprises
Sign up: virtual-routes.org/event/hybrid...
March 4, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Join us at the next Virtual Routes Colloquium session! 👇
⏰ March 12, 16:00 CET
💡 Pieter Wolters (Interdisciplinary Hub for Digitalization and Society, Radboud University) and Nils Brinker (intcube)
💭 Hybrid conflicts, cybersecurity and enterprises
Sign up: virtual-routes.org/event/hybrid...
⏰ March 12, 16:00 CET
💡 Pieter Wolters (Interdisciplinary Hub for Digitalization and Society, Radboud University) and Nils Brinker (intcube)
💭 Hybrid conflicts, cybersecurity and enterprises
Sign up: virtual-routes.org/event/hybrid...
Reposted by James Shires
Generative AI is transforming cyber threat intelligence, enabling cybersecurity teams to quickly identify risks and respond in near real-time. Unclear regulation might limit these benefits, writes Omree Wechsler: bindinghook.com/articles-bin... #GenerativeAI #CyberThreatIntelligence #Cybersecurity
Balancing security, innovation, and regulation in cyber threat (artificial) intelligence
The integration of AI in cyber threat intelligence has increased both efficiency and privacy concerns. How can the EU manage these benefits and risks?
bindinghook.com
March 4, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Generative AI is transforming cyber threat intelligence, enabling cybersecurity teams to quickly identify risks and respond in near real-time. Unclear regulation might limit these benefits, writes Omree Wechsler: bindinghook.com/articles-bin... #GenerativeAI #CyberThreatIntelligence #Cybersecurity
Thanks everyone for such a productive meeting. The world has changed a lot since this project started, especially regarding technology and geopolitics, and our research needs to be just as agile and focused on the big challenges ahead.
We're halfway through the REMIT project! 💫 Held in Brussels in February, the annual meeting looked back to the past two years and developed further plans for increasing research and impact in the second two years. Learn more: virtual-routes.org/virtual-rout...
February 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Thanks everyone for such a productive meeting. The world has changed a lot since this project started, especially regarding technology and geopolitics, and our research needs to be just as agile and focused on the big challenges ahead.
Reposted by James Shires
In Mahmoud Javadi’s latest for Binding Hook, he argues that the Nordic-Baltic 8 can revitalise Europe’s Gaia-X collective cloud initiative, a boost for European economies, cyber sovereignty, and security. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Securing Europe’s economic backbone with AI-empowered cloud protection
As the European economy becomes ever more reliant on cloud infrastructure, the need for robust cybersecurity for SMEs grows ever more pressing. AI-powered cloud security solutions chart a path toward ...
bindinghook.com
February 25, 2025 at 7:41 AM
In Mahmoud Javadi’s latest for Binding Hook, he argues that the Nordic-Baltic 8 can revitalise Europe’s Gaia-X collective cloud initiative, a boost for European economies, cyber sovereignty, and security. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by James Shires
It’s time! 🥁 @bindinghook.bsky.social & @munsecconf.bsky.social proudly announce the AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition’s five winning essays. Read more: bindinghook.com
February 14, 2025 at 8:01 AM
It’s time! 🥁 @bindinghook.bsky.social & @munsecconf.bsky.social proudly announce the AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition’s five winning essays. Read more: bindinghook.com
Hello Bluesky! And, more importantly, hello Virtual Routes...
📣 Virtual Routes is here! ECCRI and ECCRI CIC are now Virtual Routes, an organization dedicated to tackling the impact of digital technologies on global affairs through research, education, and public engagement. Find out more on our new site: virtual-routes.org #VirtualRoutes
November 26, 2024 at 4:40 PM
Hello Bluesky! And, more importantly, hello Virtual Routes...