Cybercrime Has Gone Cartel

Cybercrime Has Gone Cartel

From Trust vs. by HITRUST Alliance

December 18, 2025 · 29 min · Season 3 · Episode 10

About this episode

In this season finale, Tom Kellermann discusses the industrialization of cybercrime and the evolving tactics of cyber cartels.

Cybercrime isn’t just evolving, it’s industrializing. In this explosive season finale, Trust vs. is joined by one of cybersecurity’s most respected voices: Tom Kellermann , HITRUST’s new VP of Cyber Risk. Drawing on decades of experience advising the Secret Service, the World Bank, and the White House, Tom unpacks how today’s cyber cartels have outgrown narco-trafficking empires, how AI is transforming attacker tactics, and what the “axis of evil” looks like in cyberspace. From ransomware with backdoors to island-hopping attacks and the myth of hackers simply walking away, Tom explains why security needs to be dynamic, threat-informed, and elevated to the C-suite now. Meet Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-patrick-3699117a/ Meet Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyhuval Meet Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkellermann/

People in this episode

Hosts: Ryan Patrick, Jeremy Huval

Guest: Tom Kellermann

Topics covered

  • cybercrime
  • cybersecurity
  • AI
  • ransomware
  • C-suite
  • dynamic security

Keywords

  • cybercrime
  • cybersecurity
  • AI
  • ransomware
  • cyber cartels
  • threat-informed
  • C-suite

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: HITRUST, Secret Service, World Bank, White House

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