625: Analyzing Blockchain Data and Cryptocurrencies
Chainalysis' Director of Research, Kim Grauer joins Jon Krohn to explore the state of economic-data analysis on the blockchain.
This episode is brought to you by Datalore (datalore.online/SDS), the collaborative data science platform. Interested in sponsoring a SuperDataScience Podcast episode? Visit JonKrohn.com/podcast for sponsorship information.
In this episode you will learn:
• Kim's role as Director of Research [5:02]
• The unique real-time economic-data analytics of the blockchain [13:07]
• How ML can predict patterns of criminal activity on the blockchain [18:56]
• Interesting use cases of ML for crime investigation [29:37]
• The tools and approaches Kim uses daily [47:44]
• The future of crypto, blockchains, and data science [50:54]
• Why a data science bootcamp helps people break into data science [53:42]
Additional materials: www.superdatascience.com/625
How Ransomware Evolved Into a Big Business - Ep.256
Gurvais Grigg, Chainalysis public sector CTO, and Kim Grauer, director of research at Chainalysis, review the ransomware landscape. Show Highlights:
their backgrounds and roles at Chainalysis
how a ransomware attack works
what types of businesses are usually targeted in ransomware attacks
why ransomware as a service (RAAS) is a booming business
why Kim and Gurvais believe the hacking group REvil is becoming more sophisticated
what characteristic of REvil hints that the group could be affiliated with Russia
how the RAAS business model works
how ransomware payments can be tracked
why ransomware reporting has a data problem
why Bitcoin is the preferred method of payment amongst ransomware attackers
what two factors makes BTC preferable to privacy coins
how ransomware groups teach victims to transfer BTC
how ransomware groups cash out of their BTC
how counter-terrorism tactics can help fight ransomware attacks
how the Department of Justice may have partially recovered part of the Colonial Pipeline ransomware payment
what tools and strategies governments can and will use to battle ransomware
Thank you to our sponsors!
Crypto.com: https://crypto.onelink.me/J9Lg/unchainedcardearnfeb2
Tezos: https://tezos.com/discover?utm_source=laura-shin&utm_medium=podcast-sponsorship-unconfirmed&utm_campaign=tezos-campaign&utm_content=hero
Conjure: https://conjure.finance
Episode Links
People
Kim Grauer - Director of Research at Chainalysis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-grauer-a9501144
Gurvais Grigg - Global Public Sector Chief Technology Officer at Chainalysis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurvais-grigg-b1027a153/
Chainalsysis Ransomware Data
https://go.chainalysis.com/rs/503-FAP-074/images/Ransomware-2021-update.pdf
https://go.chainalysis.com/rs/503-FAP-074/images/Chainalysis-Crypto-Crime-2021.pdf
https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/applying-counterterrorism-strategies-to-ransomware
https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/eastern-europe-cryptocurrency-market-2020
Ransomware Attacks
Kaseya
https://decrypt.co/75246/what-the-revil-ransomware-attack-means-for-crypto
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-03/ransomware-attack-us-revil/100265656
Colonial Pipeline
https://ciphertrace.com/ransomware-seizure-blockchain-analytics-helps-us-authorities-seize-over-2-million-in-darkside-ransom-paid-by-colonial-pipeline/
https://www.elliptic.co/blog/us-authorities-seize-darkside
JBS Holdings
https://www.wsj.com/articles/jbs-paid-11-million-to-resolve-ransomware-attack
Other
Chainalysis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chainalysis
Website: https://www.chainalysis.com/
Who is REvil?
https://fortune.com/2021/07/07/what-is-revil-ransomware-attack-kaseya/
https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/revil-threat-actors/
Combating ransomware: https://securityandtechnology.org/ransomwaretaskforce/report/
Why Gurvais joined Chainalysis: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/gurvais-grigg-chainalysis
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The Rogue 100: How Cryptocurrency Criminals Cash Out - Ep.156
Jonathan Levin, co-founder and CSO of Chainalysis, and Kim Grauer, head of research, discuss the company's 2020 Crypto Crime Report, which explores how cryptocurrency criminals, who perpetrate hacks and scams and send out ransomware and more, cash out. We cover how criminals are turning their illicit crypto into fiat currency, why exchanges are a prime avenue for money laundering, and how over-the-counter brokers are playing a large role. They talk about a group of OTC brokers they describe as the Rogue 100, what their transactions look like, and what can be done to help stop criminals from cashing out. Jonathan and Kim talk about the PlusToken scam, the largest Ponzi scheme in crypto and how Chainalysis determined that it was likely driving down the price of Bitcoin. They also explain the trends in exchange hacks and how the most prolific hackers have grown more sophisticated, giving some examples of how the Lazarus Group, a cybercriminal syndicate linked to the North Korean government has become more advanced. Finally, we also discuss ransomware and terrorism financing and what trends they are seeing there.
Thank you to our sponsors!
CipherTrace: https://ciphertrace.com/unchained
Kraken: https://www.kraken.com
Crypto.com: https://crypto.com
Episode links:
Chainalysis: https://www.chainalysis.com/
Jonathan Levin: https://twitter.com/jony_levin
Kim Grauer: https://twitter.com/KimberlyGrauer
Previous Unchained interview with Jonathan: https://unchainedpodcast.com/how-chainalysis-helps-solve-crimes-jonathan-levin-tells-all-ep-62/
Unconfirmed episode on how Bitcoin led to the demise of the largest child porn site: https://unchainedpodcast.com/how-bitcoin-led-to-the-demise-of-the-largest-child-porn-site/
Money laundering report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/money-laundering-cryptocurrency-2019
https://fortune.com/2020/01/15/crypto-criminals-brokers-launder-billions/
Exchange hacks report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/cryptocurrency-exchange-hacks-2019
Unchained interview with Priscilla Moriuchi on why North Korea is interested in cryptocurrency: https://unchainedpodcast.com/why-north-korea-is-interested-in-cryptocurrency/
Plus Token report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-price
Terrorism financing report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/terrorism-financing-cryptocurrency-2019
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