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The most dangerous hackers you’ve never heard of

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04.14.25
Ransomware gangs, email scammers, state-sponsored spies: hacking groups come in all shapes and sizes. There are some we write about quite a bit here at WIRED, who through some combination of audacity, incompetence, or geopolitical importance—or some combination of all three—grab the spotlight in the wake of a major heist or intrusion. Then there are the groups that largely manage to stay in the shadows.

A North Korean group that specializes in crypto thefts. Industrial sabotage specialists out of Iran. Scammers from China that have probably sent you a phony text or two. Ransomware extremists that just went underground. And spies. So many spies. These stories shine a spotlight on the hacking groups you don’t hear about as often—because they’re often the ones you need to worry about the most.

— Brian Barrett, Executive Editor, News
Gamaredon: The Turncoat Spies Relentlessly Hacking Ukraine

BY ANDY GREENBERG | 3-MINUTE READ
For the past decade, this group of FSB hackers—including “traitor” Ukrainian intelligence officers—has used a grinding barrage of intrusion campaigns to make life hell for their former countrymen and cybersecurity defenders.

 
TraderTraitor: The Kings of the Crypto Heist

BY MATT BURGESS | 5-MINUTE READ
Allegedly responsible for the theft of $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency from a single exchange, North Korea’s TraderTraitor is one of the most sophisticated cybercrime groups in the world.

 
Black Basta: The Fallen Ransomware Gang That Lives On

BY LILY HAY NEWMAN | 4-MINUTE READ
After a series of setbacks, the notorious Black Basta ransomware gang went underground. Researchers are bracing for its probable return in a new form.

 

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CyberAv3ngers: The Iranian Saboteurs Hacking Water and Gas Systems Worldwide

BY ANDY GREENBERG | 4-MINUTE READ
Despite their hacktivist front, CyberAv3ngers is a rare state-sponsored hacker group bent on putting industrial infrastructure at risk—and has already caused global disruption.

 
Brass Typhoon: The Chinese Hacking Group Lurking in the Shadows

BY LILY HAY NEWMAN | 2-MINUTE READ
Though less well-known than groups like Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon, Brass Typhoon, or APT 41, is an infamous, longtime espionage actor that foreshadowed recent telecom hacks.

 
Smishing Triad: The Scam Group Stealing the World’s Riches

BY MATT BURGESS | 4-MINUTE READ
Millions of scam text messages are sent every month. The Chinese cybercriminals behind many of them are expanding their operations—and quickly innovating.

 

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