For years, some of the most dangerous hacking threats have come from adversarial nation-state hackers conducting espionage, Russian ransomware gangs targeting critical infrastructure, and governments targeting journalists with spyware that can punch through the security of almost any phone.
But a new phenomenon of mostly English-speaking young adults and teenage hackers has risen to become a top pressing global threat of today, spanning cybercrime, child abuse, and extremism.
By tearing through some of the biggest companies, tech giants, and governments, these young and financially motivated hackers have destroyed networks and extorted hundreds of millions of dollars from wealthy corporate victims.
One of the few companies with eyes on this subculture is Unit 221B, a New Jersey-based security company that has made a name for itself by tracking these hackers and disrupting their operations where others have struggled or outright failed.
Investors have taken notice of the security company. Unit 221B said it raised the $5 million seed round from J2 Ventures, whose general partner Christine Keung said in prepared remarks that the company is “the missing puzzle piece in threat disruption and attribution.”
