Wicked Coin

What if the most dangerous criminals didn't smash their way in – but quietly embedded themselves  and learned the system from the inside? In this episode of Wicked Coin, hosts Diana Shaw and Tatiana Sainati are joined by Lyn Brown and Erin Joe to examine the astonishing true story of the Carbanak cyber gang, a highly disciplined criminal network that infiltrated banks across the globe and stole more than a billion euros without triggering alarms. Rather than relying on brute force or flashy hacks, the attackers patiently observed employees, mimicked legitimate activity, and even manipulated ATMs to dispense cash on command. Drawing on decades of experience in federal law enforcement, intelligence, and cybersecurity, the conversation explores how schemes like this succeed and why they're so difficult to detect, while also reviewing today's evolving threat landscape – from spear phishing and ransomware-as-a-service to AI-enabled fraud and nation-state activity – with practical insight into how organizations can strengthen their defenses, sharpen their response, and build resilience in an increasingly hostile environment.