Unit 221B raises $5 million to help track and disrupt today's top hacking groups | TechCrunch

"For years, some of the most dangerous hacking threats have come from adversarial nation-state hackers conducting espionage, Russian ransomware gangs targeting critical infrastructure, and governments targeting journalists with spyware that can punch through the security of almost any phone. But a new phenomenon of mostly English-speaking young adults and teenage hackers has risen to become a top pressing global threat of today, spanning cybercrime, child abuse, and extremism."

"By tearing through some of the biggest companies, tech giants, and governments, these young and highly financially motivated hackers have destroyed networks and extorted hundreds of millions of dollars from wealthy corporate victims. One of the few companies with eyes on this subculture is Unit 221B, a New Jersey-based security company that has made a name for itself by tracking these hackers and disrupting their operations where others have struggled or outright failed."

"Investors have taken notice of the security company. Unit 221B said it raised the $5 million seed round from J2 Ventures, whose general partner Christine Keung said in prepared remarks that the company is "the missing puzzle piece in threat disruption and attribution." Law enforcement has been slow to combat the threat from these sometimes-called "advanced persistent teenagers," who paved the way for some of the world's biggest hacks to date, including dozens of corporate giants whose Snowflake cloud accounts were hacked,"

Mostly English-speaking young adults and teenagers have risen as a major global threat spanning cybercrime, child abuse, and extremism. These financially motivated hackers have broken into major companies, tech giants, and governments, destroying networks and extorting hundreds of millions from wealthy corporate victims. Unit 221B, a New Jersey-based security firm, tracks and disrupts this subculture and has helped secure arrests tied to groups like Scattered Spider. The company raised a $5 million seed round from J2 Ventures. Law enforcement has struggled to counter the threat, which includes breaches of Snowflake cloud accounts and high-profile ransomware incidents.

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