Available here: nattothoughts.substack.com/p/when-privi...

css.ethz.ch/en/center/CS...

Before Vegas – The “Red Hackers” Who Shaped China’s Cyber Ecosystem (Center for Security Studies at ETH Zürich): css.ethz.ch/content/dam/...

6/ Sincerely grateful to the all-star team of experts who shared their insights and feedback: Scott Henderson (Google Mandiant), Adam Kozy (SinaCyber), @meidanowski.bsky.social (@nattothoughts.bsky.social), @thegrugq.bsky.social, @Chris St.Myers (SentinelOne), & Charles Li and Zha0 (TeamT5)

5/ The key lesson: what begins in anonymous forums can end in boardrooms and on digital battlefields. Overlooking civilian hacking talent is a strategic risk.

@kimzetter.bsky.social's excellent piece for Wired unpacks the state-linked side of the story, covering the report and Adam Kozy’s research: www.wired.com/story/china-...

3/ Some Red 40 hackers have carried out operations on behalf of China’s military and intelligence services. Their informal networks, formed during their teens or twenties as members of the same hacking groups, exemplify tool sharing and collab that underpins China’s APTs MO.

2/ It identifies 40 prominent red hackers — “The Red 40” — who shaped China’s cyber ecosystem from the ground up. It tells the story of how these individuals transitioned from online forums to becoming part of a tightly integrated ecosystem.

Full report:
css.ethz.ch/en/center/CS...

haha haven't spent too much time around here

Thank you 🙏 really appreciate it!

Thank you! I’d definitely add Alex Josie’s “Spies and Lies” to the book list

Thank you! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it

Fully agree, Patrick. I also love his work. He was very kind to review the report and provide feedback before publication 😊

I think European countries are struggling even to allow government teams to do this kind of work, so extending it to broader private sector involvement seems unlikely to me as things stand