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Darknet Diaries

Jack Rhysider
Cybersecurity
Ransomware
Social Engineering
Wannacry
Malware
FBI
Hieu Minh Ngo
Cybercrime
DEFCON
Fake Degrees
Identity Theft
Penetration Testing
Chris Rock
North Korea
Social Media
Data Brokers
Cryptocurrency
Pen Testing
9/11
Al-Qaeda

Explore true stories of the dark side of the Internet with host Jack Rhysider as he takes you on a journey through the chilling world of hacking, data breaches, and cyber crime.

¿Hablas español? Escucha en español aquí ➔ darknetdiaries.com/es/

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes190Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for Darknet Diaries

Latest Episodes

One day Nick got a visit from the FBI demanding he give them data on one of his customers. They asked for it in the form of a National Security Letter or NSL. Something wasn’t right about this letter. It seemed to violate the constitution. So he set ... more

It started with a fake car listing on eBay.

What looked like a simple online scam quietly grew, over more than a decade, into one of the most sophisticated cybercrime operations the FBI had ever traced. Custom malware. Opsec off the charts. Fleets o... more

For six years, Sophos fought a secret cyber war against a state-backed hacking group targeting its firewalls. This forced Sophos to drastically change tactics to properly secure their firewalls.

Was it ethical? Was it effective? They disrupted nine ... more

In the streets of the Dominican Republic, a new economy thrives in the shadows. It’s built not on tourism or sugar, but on stolen data. They call them tarjeteros. And they are making a lot of money from stolen credit cards. This is a story about one ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Nick Merrill
Former owner of Calyx, early internet entrepreneur
Calyx (privacy-focused company)
Episode: 176: NSL
Cindy Cohn
Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Episode: 176: NSL
Stacey Whitaker
FBI Special Agent
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Episode: 175: Bayrob
Brian Levine
DOJ Prosecutor
Department of Justice
Episode: 175: Bayrob
Owen Miller
Director, AOL CERT team
AOL CERT
Episode: 175: Bayrob
Bogdan Nicolescu
Master Fraud
Bayrob group (defendant)
Episode: 175: Bayrob
Tiberiu Dinette
A Mighty SA
Bayrob group
Episode: 175: Bayrob
Radu Miklaus
Minolta / other aliases
Bayrob group
Episode: 175: Bayrob
Andrew Brandt
Principal researcher for Sophos, later principal threat researcher for Netcraft
Sophos / Netcraft
Episode: 174: Pacific Rim

Host

Jack Rhysider
Host of the show; guides interviews and storytelling around cybersecurity stories and incidents.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 44.2k ratings
  • MY FAVOURITE PODCAST EVER

    As an 12 year old I love this!!! I’m going 2 defcon this year hope 2 see more darknet diaries fans there!!!! THANK YOU JACK !!!!!!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Liverpool17football
    Indiaa month ago
  • Perfect balance for All

    I highly recommend this podcast. It’s a great balance of interesting, informative, educational, jaw dropping, and at times funny! Jack is an amazing host that ties everything together perfectly. I’ve been listening since the early days and will still go back to old episodes as they’re still thought provoking and memorable.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rmcxb
    Canadaa month ago
  • Stuff

    I’ve been listening to this podcast for years, but I can’t say it’s gotten better. There were so many epic episodes in the old days, and I don’t know if it’s just that all the good stories have already been told, or Jack is getting bored with this, but I feel like it’s getting a little weak. I would like this not to be the case, and it’s still vastly better than any other security podcast, but you know, could use an influx of great material.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Tancred_ca
    Canadaa month ago
  • A mix of fascination and horror at the stories on this pod cast.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ttguy
    2 months ago
  • House is painted !

    Saved a load of episodes to paint my house. Jack your voice is visible on every door… smooth ! Great podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brokkelaar
    Netherlands2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host's storytelling and interviews with compelling cybersecurity guests.
Fans appreciate deep dives into notable hacking cases and practical security takeaways.
Some listeners feel the show sometimes lacks rigorous fact-checking or drifts into promotional content.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

176: NSL
Q: What were the core constitutional issues raised by the NSL case?
The case centered on potential violations of the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments—free speech, privacy without a warrant, and protection against compelled self-incrimination—driving arguments about prior restraint and due process.
176: NSL
Q: How did the initial NSL affect Nick Merrill and his business operations?
Nick describes receiving a supposedly routine postal-style letter with an FBI directive, followed by a severe gag order that prevented him from discussing the matter, which forced him into a civil-liberties fight that spanned years.
167: Threatlocker
Q: What is Threatlocker's mission?
Threatlocker's mission is to change security practices from allowing by default to denying by default, ensuring only trusted applications run.
167: Threatlocker
Q: What happened during the ransomware attack?
In a short span, ransomware encrypted 250 servers and disrupted business operations, leading to frantic recovery efforts.
164: Oak Cliff Swipers
Q: Tell me about putting your first skimmer.
I used to put it on a gas station pump that I grew up near, because I was confident they wouldn't care about me.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Darknet Diaries

What is Darknet Diaries about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show consistently surfaces true stories at the intersection of hacking, cybercrime, and digital risk, pairing fast-paced narrative with expert commentary. Episodes often dive into high-stakes incidents (from nation-state style intrusions to mass-market IoT vulnerabilities and streaming fraud), then extract actionable lessons on incident response, security best practices, and policy implications. A notable strength is the host's journalistically clear storytelling and the frequent inclusion of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, which helps translate complex technical topics into practical takeaways for defenders, executives, and technology buyers. The format tends to balance historical context with current trends, making it a... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Darknet Diaries?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Darknet Diaries:

1. Hacked
2. CyberWire Daily
3. Smashing Security
4. Hacking Humans
5. Click Here

How many episodes of Darknet Diaries are there?

Darknet Diaries launched 9 years ago and published 190 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Darknet Diaries?

Recent guests on Darknet Diaries include:

1. Nick Merrill
2. Cindy Cohn
3. Stacey Whitaker
4. Brian Levine
5. Owen Miller
6. Bogdan Nicolescu
7. Tiberiu Dinette
8. Radu Miklaus

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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