The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2023
From Sam Altman and Elon Musk to ransomware gangs and state-backed hackers, these are the individuals and groups that spent this year disrupting the world as we know it.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk, once regarded as a brilliant technologist, has increasingly shown destructive and trollish tendencies. His actions on Twitter, such as inviting back conspiracy theorists and amplifying antisemitic statements, have raised concerns about the future of the platform. Musk's new startup xAI released an AI chatbot with fewer guardrails, and he now faces calls for an SEC investigation. Additionally, Tesla's safety measures for its Autopilot feature were found to be inadequate by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Musk's behavior in 2023 has shed light on his dominant side, characterized by recklessness and controversy.
Cl0p
The Cl0p gang, responsible for the Cl0p malware, has caused significant damage this year. Exploiting a zero-day vulnerability, the gang targeted over 2,000 organizations and stole data from millions of people. The Cl0p hackers remain at large, posing a continued threat.
This year witnessed a resurgence of ransomware attacks, and Cl0p stands out as one of the most ruthless groups.
Alphv
Alphv, also known as Black Cat, has gained notoriety for its cyberattacks. With ties to the hackers behind the Colonial Pipeline attack, Alphv has compromised over a thousand organizations and extracted millions of dollars in ransoms. Despite the FBI's attempts to seize their dark-web site, the group remains active and defiant in targeting critical infrastructure systems.
The chaos caused by Alphv highlights the ongoing challenges posed by state-sponsored hackers.
Hamas
Hamas' atrocities against civilians in Southern Israel on October 7 shocked the world. The immediate war that followed not only threatens regional stability but also raises questions about the enabling role of digital technologies. From raising funds through cryptocurrency to distributing propaganda on platforms like Telegram, Hamas has utilized the internet to further its goals.
Similar to the emergence of ISIS, this new round of violence prompts a reevaluation of technology platforms' role in facilitating extremist violence.
