Relationships Matter: Reconstructing the Organizational and Social Structure of a Ransomware Gang

This 27-minute Black Hat conference talk explores the organizational and social dynamics of the Conti ransomware group, a profitable Russian cybercriminal organization. Dive into research that applies classic economic, complex systems, and organization theories to analyze leaked chat logs from the group. Discover how researchers implemented three analytical approaches to understand the true level of organization within cybercrime groups and what contributes to their resilience. Follow along as Dalya Manatova, a native Russian speaker, applies discourse analysis to identify roles, relationships, and operational processes, while social graph mapping reveals the group's membership structure and relationship evolution over time. Learn about the empirical evidence showing hierarchical organizational patterns based on workflow, mentorship, and friendship relationships among members. Gain valuable insights into the complex interplay of actors within cybercriminal activities that can inform strategies to target and disrupt similar clandestine organizations. Presented by PhD Student Dalya Manatova and Professor L Jean Camp from Indiana University.