Radiolab: "Darkode" (September 22, 2015)

Host(s): Jad Abumrad, Robert Krulwich
Featured Contributors: Alina Simone, Ina, Joseph Menn, Dina Temple-Raston, Daniel Plasek

Overview

In "Darkode," Radiolab delves into the world of ransomware and underground hacker markets, exploring both the personal impact of cybercrime and the broader evolution of online criminal ecosystems. The episode is structured in two acts: the first tells the harrowing tale of a ransomware attack on a family, and the second peels back the curtain on Darkode, an infamous hacker forum. Through first-person accounts, expert interviews, and investigative reporting, Radiolab examines how cybercrime has become big business—and what that means for everyday computer users.

Act One: Ransomware Hits Home

The Ransomware Ordeal (01:46 – 20:32)

Storytellers:

• Ina (the victim)
• Alina Simone (her daughter)
• Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich (hosts)

Key Points:

• Day One: Ina’s computer becomes sluggish. After unsuccessful troubleshooting with university IT, she leaves it unattended for the weekend.
• Discovery: Upon her return, she finds her files locked and a message demanding $500 in Bitcoin for their release—her computer has been hit by the CryptoWall ransomware.
• International Mystery: Ina suspects Russian or Eastern European hackers, noting, “My first thought was Russia or Ukraine, which is even better. … Especially math. I’m from there. I know.” (04:38, Ina)
• Desperate Measures: Ina and her husband debate paying the ransom, but the importance of irreplaceable files tips the scale.
• Obtaining Bitcoin: The process is convoluted, requiring forms noting the payment is for ‘ransom,’ a photo of her husband, and eventually a cash deposit through an ATM in Brooklyn—a logistical nightmare.
  • “It’s a torture. It’s unbelievable.” (09:23, Ina)
• Family Mobilizes: Daughter Alina, in Brooklyn, becomes crucial to getting the money transferred at the last minute, dealing with malfunctioning machines in oddly placed Bitcoin ATMs.
  • “There was a paper sign taped to the wall that just had a printout from a computer that said, ‘bitcoin atm, all lowercase letters,’ and an arrow to this phone booth. It looked very Soviet.” (15:06, Alina)
• Deadline Drama: Due to a snowstorm and technical hiccups, they end up two hours late on the ransom payment. Ina pleads with the hackers, explaining the U.S. Thanksgiving and postal delays. The hackers relent and unlock her files anyway.
  • “I wrote them that I was late, but I mentioned the snowstorm, the Thanksgiving … and all of a sudden I’m getting a message: You paid in full. … And I got all my files back.” (19:46, Ina)

Notable Moments:

• Emotional family banter as stress rises, especially over the Bitcoin process and playdate logistics.
• The reality that even police departments have paid similar ransoms (13:34, Alina).

Commentary from Experts:

• Bitcoin sellers share the ethical dilemma of abetting ransom payments; regulatory confusion looms.
  • “If they keep helping the little guys pay the ransom in order to get their files back, they are in effect, making themselves accessories to a crime.” (18:08, Jad Abumrad citing Will Wheeler)

Act Two: Inside "Darkode" – The Hacker Marketplace

Tracking the Criminals and Their Markets (22:01 – 38:13)

Featured Voices:

• Joseph Menn (Investigative Reporter)
• Dina Temple-Raston (NPR’s Cybercrime Correspondent)
• Daniel Plasek (reformed hacker and co-creator of Darkode)
• Kelly Jackson Higgins (Cybersecurity Editor)

Key Points:

• Who are the Hackers?
  • Typically young, Russian-speaking men, often underemployed, sometimes operating in office-park-like “cybercrime call centers.”
  • A spectrum exists from flashier kingpins (“like rap stars in the US,” 22:27, Joseph Menn) to grunt programmers.
• Marketplace Structure:
  • Criminal forums function much like eBay: reputation systems, escrow mechanisms, user reviews for “freshness” of stolen credit cards.
  • “It’s as good as eBay. If you feel safe doing business on eBay, there’s no reason you shouldn’t feel safe doing business with the criminals.” (25:20, Joseph Menn)
  • Products include credit card numbers, hacking software, and spyware, often with customer service.
• Darkode Revealed:
  • Described as “an Amazon.com for hackers.”
  • Invite-only with rigorous entry requirements—members must demonstrate technical chops and provide references.
  • Huge criminal ecosystem trading malware and access to vast botnets for as little as $20 per month (34:30, Daniel Plasek; 35:15, Kelly Jackson Higgins).

Daniel Plasek’s Story: From Basement to Black Market (26:35 – 37:08)

• Recruitment:
  • Plasek started as a hobbyist tweaking games; online camaraderie and curiosity lured him into serious hacking, eventually forming Darkode with like-minded coders.
• Evolution:
  • The site evolved into a marketplace where tools, botnet access (“installs”), and attacks could be bought and sold.
• Moral Ambiguity:
  • Plasek admits his actions were initially devoid of moral reflection:
    • “At that age, I didn’t really think about it that deeply. It’s the Internet. … There’s no human connection there.” (31:20, Daniel Plasek)
• Exit and Consequences:
  • He left when the marketplace drifted into financial crimes territory but was later visited by the FBI.
  • "It was a kick in the butt.... I have cooperated with them for the last five plus years now.... It’s given me an opportunity over the last five years to really make some serious changes to my life.” (36:15, Daniel Plasek)

Law Enforcement and the Futility of Takedowns

• Darkode Busted, But…
  • Joint international operation in July 2015 takes down 28 suspects, but within weeks, Darkode is back online.
    • "The FBI has effectively smashed the hornet's nest and we are in the process of rounding up and charging the hornets." (37:53, Jad Abumrad quoting FBI)
    • “Two weeks later, Dark Code is up again. … Just popped back up.” (38:02, Dina Temple Raston)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “We all have computers. We love computers. But what if the cost of using your computer becomes more than you’re willing to pay?”
  – Robert Krulwich, 01:46
• “All of your files have been protected with a strong encryption ... to unlock files, you must pay US$500.”
  – Ransomware message, 03:54
• “She started ranting about criminals and ransom and I literally thought she was like, talking in air quotes.”
  – Alina, 13:07
• “There is a word to die for humans or another word for animals. I used the animal one.”
  – Ina, 05:21
• “It's a lot harder to kind of quantify right and wrong there. ... there's no human connection.”
  – Daniel Plasek, 31:20
• “It's as good as ebay. ... There's no reason you shouldn't feel safe doing business with the criminals.”
  – Joseph Menn, 25:20
• “You could rent a botnet for one hour for about $38 a month. In some cases as low as 20. … It's like renting space here.”
  – Jad Abumrad and Kelly Jackson Higgins, 34:30–35:15

Segment Timestamps

• [01:46] Story introduction and setup of ransomware victim’s experience (Ina and Alina)
• [13:34] Alina learns of widespread ransomware, noting law enforcement has also been targeted
• [22:01] Transition to expert insight—who are the hackers?
• [25:45] Marketplace structure and reputational systems for hackers
• [26:35] Daniel Plasek tells the origin story of Darkode
• [34:30] The scale and affordability of botnet rental
• [37:33] July 2015 law enforcement takedown of Darkode
• [38:11] Immediate reboot of Darkode despite the crackdown

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Radiolab maintains a conversational and at times wry tone, using story-driven reporting and character sketches to illuminate complex cyber threats. The episode blends suspense, humor, and empathy—as seen in the banter between Ina and Alina or the deadpan acceptance from the hackers' side.

Main Takeaway:
The threats posed by organized cybercrime are both personal and systemic, affecting ordinary families and institutions alike. Attempts to eliminate these threats often feel Sisyphean; with each botnet taken down, new ones arise. The human element—victims, hackers, and the gray area Bitcoin middlemen—makes the world of digital crime especially complicated and challenging to police.