Anja Shortland and Oliver Bullough: Inside the Dark Economy

We’ve all heard the stories of frozen IT systems, error codes and pop-ups threatening victims they’ll lose everything unless they pay up. In the face of such chaos, globally recognised names from Marks and Spencer to the British Library chose to do just that, because it’s preferable to submit to hackers’ demands and minimise disruption, rather than to stand firm and suffer the damage. With new attacks hitting the headlines every day, ransomware is recognised as a serious threat to global security and the economy, yet it remains an elusive and little understood phenomenon.

Joining us to shed light on the industry, offer guidance on navigating its threats, and predict how it may evolve is Anja Shortland. A Professor of Political Economy, Shortland is also a world expert in illicit trading whose new book, We Know You Can Pay a Million, spotlights the criminal underworld where organised groups trade stolen…