Max Smeets
@maxwsmeets.bsky.social
Author of No Shortcuts & Ransom War
Co-director Virtual Routes (https://virtual-routes.org/), previously ECCRI
Managing Editor Binding Hook (https://bindinghook.com)
Senior Researcher, ETH Zurich
Co-director Virtual Routes (https://virtual-routes.org/), previously ECCRI
Managing Editor Binding Hook (https://bindinghook.com)
Senior Researcher, ETH Zurich
Reposted by Max Smeets
🙌 This was Binding Hook Live — a day filled with incredible conversations and discussions on and off stage. Read more insights from Binding Hook Live by our Managing Editors James Shires and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social: bindinghook.com/insights-fro...
🎞️ youtu.be/MOr-eZ_IJfo?...
🎞️ youtu.be/MOr-eZ_IJfo?...
This was Binding Hook Live!
YouTube video by Virtual Routes
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 8:49 AM
🙌 This was Binding Hook Live — a day filled with incredible conversations and discussions on and off stage. Read more insights from Binding Hook Live by our Managing Editors James Shires and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social: bindinghook.com/insights-fro...
🎞️ youtu.be/MOr-eZ_IJfo?...
🎞️ youtu.be/MOr-eZ_IJfo?...
Reposted by Max Smeets
🚨 #BindingHookLive tickets are going fast! 🚨 A little over a month to go until the very first Binding Hook Live! Don't miss the chance to be part of this one-of-a-kind event featuring a fantastic line-up of expert speakers. 🎟️ Request your invite: bindinghooklive.com
September 24, 2025 at 8:38 AM
🚨 #BindingHookLive tickets are going fast! 🚨 A little over a month to go until the very first Binding Hook Live! Don't miss the chance to be part of this one-of-a-kind event featuring a fantastic line-up of expert speakers. 🎟️ Request your invite: bindinghooklive.com
Reposted by Max Smeets
💭 Introducing #AI over Lunch - a new interview series exploring how leaders across sectors are grappling with the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence. Read the first interview with #NATO CIO Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer: virtual-routes.org/ai-over-lunc...
AI over Lunch: Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer
Welcome to AI over Lunch, our new interview series exploring how leaders across sectors are grappling with the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence.
virtual-routes.org
September 4, 2025 at 8:43 AM
💭 Introducing #AI over Lunch - a new interview series exploring how leaders across sectors are grappling with the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence. Read the first interview with #NATO CIO Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer: virtual-routes.org/ai-over-lunc...
Reposted by Max Smeets
Where is #AI really shaping #ransomware – and where is it just hype? Join experts Ciaran Martin, Jamie MacColl, Will Thomas, Taylor Grossman & Max Smeets as they discuss AI’s role in ransomware. 📅 To join, register as a member: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
August 21, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Where is #AI really shaping #ransomware – and where is it just hype? Join experts Ciaran Martin, Jamie MacColl, Will Thomas, Taylor Grossman & Max Smeets as they discuss AI’s role in ransomware. 📅 To join, register as a member: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Max Smeets
I've been thinking a lot about @maxwsmeets.bsky.social Ransomware Trust Paradox and how I think it's breaking. My analysis below (btw: if you haven't you should buy Max's book).
Is the Ransomware Trust Paradox Breaking?
And, is that a good thing?
open.substack.com
August 20, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I've been thinking a lot about @maxwsmeets.bsky.social Ransomware Trust Paradox and how I think it's breaking. My analysis below (btw: if you haven't you should buy Max's book).
With more writers joining and more readers returning, we felt it was time for a better space. Our new @bindinghook.bsky.social website is now live! bindinghook.com
Expert commentary on tech and security - Binding Hook
Original, insightful analysis on digital and emerging technologies and security
bindinghook.com
August 19, 2025 at 8:28 AM
With more writers joining and more readers returning, we felt it was time for a better space. Our new @bindinghook.bsky.social website is now live! bindinghook.com
Reposted by Max Smeets
#PublicAttribution of cyber activities is #China’s latest technique for pressuring #Taiwan and shaping the international dialogue around #cybersecurity. @benread.bsky.social digs into the details on Binding Hook: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
China is using cyber attribution to pressure Taiwan
Mirroring Western tactics, China’s main intelligence agency and private sector allies are publicly unmasking alleged Taiwanese hackers in a gambit to sway domestic and international opinion
bindinghook.com
July 22, 2025 at 7:50 AM
#PublicAttribution of cyber activities is #China’s latest technique for pressuring #Taiwan and shaping the international dialogue around #cybersecurity. @benread.bsky.social digs into the details on Binding Hook: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
Reposted by Max Smeets
New from me: China has been ramping up its public attribution against Taiwan, likely in an attempt to shift the conversation on cyber intrusions and pressure the island and they're using their private sector cybersecurity companies to do it. Read the piece, but a few highlights, take aways in this 🧵
#PublicAttribution of cyber activities is #China’s latest technique for pressuring #Taiwan and shaping the international dialogue around #cybersecurity. @benread.bsky.social digs into the details on Binding Hook: bindinghook.com/articles-hoo...
China is using cyber attribution to pressure Taiwan
Mirroring Western tactics, China’s main intelligence agency and private sector allies are publicly unmasking alleged Taiwanese hackers in a gambit to sway domestic and international opinion
bindinghook.com
July 22, 2025 at 6:38 PM
New from me: China has been ramping up its public attribution against Taiwan, likely in an attempt to shift the conversation on cyber intrusions and pressure the island and they're using their private sector cybersecurity companies to do it. Read the piece, but a few highlights, take aways in this 🧵
Reposted by Max Smeets
The increasingly popular narrative that #AIthreats need to be fought with #AIsecuritysolutions fall short upon closer inspection, argue @virtualroutes.bsky.social’s Jamie Collier and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social in their latest: bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Time to ditch the AI arms race analogy
You don’t need AI to beat AI. Most threats still fail in the face of ordinary, well-applied defences
bindinghook.com
July 15, 2025 at 7:33 AM
The increasingly popular narrative that #AIthreats need to be fought with #AIsecuritysolutions fall short upon closer inspection, argue @virtualroutes.bsky.social’s Jamie Collier and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social in their latest: bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
June 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Max Smeets
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 Max Smeets
🎙️ The new episode of the @sansinstitute.bsky.social #CyberLeadersPodcast featuring @maxwsmeets.bsky.social is out now! Have a listen: sans.org/u/1Bxx
June 13, 2025 at 1:08 PM
🎙️ The new episode of the @sansinstitute.bsky.social #CyberLeadersPodcast featuring @maxwsmeets.bsky.social is out now! Have a listen: sans.org/u/1Bxx
Reposted by Max Smeets
Gijs van Loon, Apolline Rolland, @jamesshires.bsky.social, and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social call for increased action from the EU to support and protect European drinking- and wastewater utilities. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Why Europe must finally secure its water sectors from cyber threats
Despite the vital importance of both drinking water and wastewater management, these sectors are highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. What policy actions can help?
bindinghook.com
June 24, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Gijs van Loon, Apolline Rolland, @jamesshires.bsky.social, and @maxwsmeets.bsky.social call for increased action from the EU to support and protect European drinking- and wastewater utilities. bindinghook.com/articles-bin...
Reposted by Max Smeets
On Lawfare Daily, @jshermcyber.bsky.social and Jonathan Cedarbaum spoke to @maxwsmeets.bsky.social about his book “Ransom War,” the history of ransomware, how the threats have evolved, and some of the major drivers of innovation within the ecosystem. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawf...
June 26, 2025 at 2:44 PM
On Lawfare Daily, @jshermcyber.bsky.social and Jonathan Cedarbaum spoke to @maxwsmeets.bsky.social about his book “Ransom War,” the history of ransomware, how the threats have evolved, and some of the major drivers of innovation within the ecosystem. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawf...
I enjoyed joining James Lyne and @ciaranm.bsky.social on the Cyber Leaders podcast. It was both fun and useful to discuss state and criminal cyber activity in one episode - and to explore where the two intersect.
www.sans.org/podcasts/cyb...
www.sans.org/podcasts/cyb...
The Cyber Battlefield with Max Smeets | 13 | Cyber Leaders Podcast | SANS Institute
In this episode, Ciaran and James meet Max Smeets, Co-Director of Virtual Routes and Senior Researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies at ETH Zurich, to discuss how digital threats are reshaping g...
www.sans.org
June 13, 2025 at 9:09 AM
I enjoyed joining James Lyne and @ciaranm.bsky.social on the Cyber Leaders podcast. It was both fun and useful to discuss state and criminal cyber activity in one episode - and to explore where the two intersect.
www.sans.org/podcasts/cyb...
www.sans.org/podcasts/cyb...
Ransom War is now available as an audiobook! www.amazon.com/Ransom-War-B...
May 28, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Ransom War is now available as an audiobook! www.amazon.com/Ransom-War-B...
Reposted by Max Smeets
⏰ Hurry up - only 1️⃣ week left until the deadline! 📝 Submit your Lightning Talk proposal by May 31: bindinghooklive.com
May 24, 2025 at 8:52 AM
⏰ Hurry up - only 1️⃣ week left until the deadline! 📝 Submit your Lightning Talk proposal by May 31: bindinghooklive.com
Reposted by Max Smeets
Updates to our speakers list! Looking forward to the talks by Mattijs Dijkstra & Zawadi Done (@huntandhackett.com), @joshagoldstein.bsky.social (Georgetown's CSET), & @maxwsmeets.bsky.social (@virtualroutes.bsky.social + @ethz.ch). Registration closing 1 June: www.thehagueprogram.nl/the-hague-ti...
May 20, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Updates to our speakers list! Looking forward to the talks by Mattijs Dijkstra & Zawadi Done (@huntandhackett.com), @joshagoldstein.bsky.social (Georgetown's CSET), & @maxwsmeets.bsky.social (@virtualroutes.bsky.social + @ethz.ch). Registration closing 1 June: www.thehagueprogram.nl/the-hague-ti...
Excited to be speaking at The Hague TIX this year. Great line up once again from @monicakello.bsky.social and team!
www.thehagueprogram.nl/the-hague-ti...
www.thehagueprogram.nl/the-hague-ti...
The Hague Program: Hague TIX 2025 Welcome
www.thehagueprogram.nl
May 16, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Excited to be speaking at The Hague TIX this year. Great line up once again from @monicakello.bsky.social and team!
www.thehagueprogram.nl/the-hague-ti...
www.thehagueprogram.nl/the-hague-ti...
Reposted by Max Smeets
@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/...
We are excited to launch a new program in the Netherlands. The goal is to give students hands-on experience in cybersecurity, with courses like malware reverse engineering, digital forensics, and ransomware economics.
🇳🇱 #Cybersecurity Seminars program expands to the Netherlands under the leadership of Virtual Routes! It focuses on enabling students to help local community organizations defend against #RansomwareAttacks. Learn more about the program and register interest: virtual-routes.org/initiatives/...
May 14, 2025 at 7:51 AM
We are excited to launch a new program in the Netherlands. The goal is to give students hands-on experience in cybersecurity, with courses like malware reverse engineering, digital forensics, and ransomware economics.
Reposted by Max Smeets
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 Max Smeets
⏳ 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱!
We're looking for talks on:
👉 Cyber & AI
👉 Surveillance
👉 Info ops
👉 Critical infra
👉 Cybercrime and more
✅ If accepted you’ll receive a 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 to the event and a £𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺.
📝 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹: bindinghooklive.com
We're looking for talks on:
👉 Cyber & AI
👉 Surveillance
👉 Info ops
👉 Critical infra
👉 Cybercrime and more
✅ If accepted you’ll receive a 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 to the event and a £𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺.
📝 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹: bindinghooklive.com
Binding Hook Live
Binding Hook Live is a one-of-a-kind event bringing together leading voices in digital and emerging technologies and global affairs. This exclusive event takes place at the iconic Underbelly Boulevard...
bindinghooklive.com
May 13, 2025 at 1:16 PM
⏳ 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱!
We're looking for talks on:
👉 Cyber & AI
👉 Surveillance
👉 Info ops
👉 Critical infra
👉 Cybercrime and more
✅ If accepted you’ll receive a 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 to the event and a £𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺.
📝 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹: bindinghooklive.com
We're looking for talks on:
👉 Cyber & AI
👉 Surveillance
👉 Info ops
👉 Critical infra
👉 Cybercrime and more
✅ If accepted you’ll receive a 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 to the event and a £𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺.
📝 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹: bindinghooklive.com