Tracers in the Dark
by Andy Greenberg · first published 2022
56% recommend44% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Narrative account of the early hunt for criminals using cryptocurrency, following investigators who trace funds through blockchain analysis; well researched and engaging for readers of cybersecurity and hackers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Over the last decade, a single innovation has massively fueled digital black markets: cryptocurrency. Crime lords inhabiting lawless corners of the internet have operated more freely—whether in drug dealing, money laundering, or human trafficking—than their analog counterparts could have ever dreamed of. By transacting not in dollars or pounds but in currencies with anonymous ledgers, overseen by no government, beholden to no bankers, these black marketeers have sought to rob law enforcement of their chief method of cracking down on illicit finance: following the money. But what if the ce
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…sleep. It also made me more disciplined about my sleeping habits. Kilo by Toby Muse. The book is about cocaine trade in Columbia. It is eye-opening and generated intense negative emotions at times. Tracers in the Dark by Andy Greenberg. I love to read about cybersecurity, hackers, etc. so this book was an amazing read. I read many more books which I loved but keeping this list short. Many of these books were mentioned…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency by Andy Greenberg The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War by Craig Whitlock. Enjoyed both a lot over the Christmas break.
on “Ask HN: What should I read next?” ↗Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency by Andy Greenberg was exceptionally well researched and told.
on “Ask HN: What's your favorite book you've read?” ↗It's not BS though? That's what companies like Chainalysis professionally. This was covered in graphic detail as to how they caught a pedo ring in Andy Greenberg's book Tracers In The Dark.
on “Polymarket gamblers threaten to kill me over Iran missile story” ↗Exactly. “Tracers in the Dark” (https://a.co/d/aos3Nka) does a good job of telling that story and a couple of others from the early days of blockchain analytics
on “Chainalysis Successful Deanonymization Attack on Monero” ↗Wired article that is an excerpt from this book: https://www.wired.com/story/tracers-in-the-dark-welcome-to-v...
on “Tracers in the Dark” ↗…anonymous as long as you have not used your wallet somewhere where you can be identified. Read about "welcome to video" child porn bust possible due to chainanalysis. From https://www.wired.com/story/tracers-in-the-dark-welcome-to-v... Chainalysis had combined these techniques for de-anonymizing Bitcoin users with methods that allowed it to “cluster” addresses, showing that anywhere from dozens to millions of addresses…
on “FBI Looking for Hashflare Victims” ↗Crypto isn’t anonymous. Governments and private companies have ways of identifying you. After reading the book Tracers in the Dark, crypto isn’t so anonymous anymore to me.
on “Crypto must end anonymity for illicit finance, U.S. regulator says” ↗This comes just as I’ve finished reading Tracers in the Dark. Pretty interesting stuff. Will be interesting to read more deeply how they were able to track and take down this marketplace.
on “Extorting, Exit Scamming, Darknet Market Owner of Incognito Busted by the Feds” ↗