{"generated_at": "2026-10-17T07:18:15.989988Z", "slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "name": "Darknet Diaries", "episode_count": 7, "avg_signal": 75.0, "median_signal": 76.1, "top_signal": 87.4, "latest_episode_at": "2026-10-06T07:00:00Z", "earliest_episode_at": "2026-04-21T07:00:00Z", "category_mode": "cybersecurity", "cover_image_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/141e0c43-f935-41de-be94-708448052c4d/images/dee6cb5f-8beb-4bdd-bf46-f52bed0c6034/Ep180_Square.jpg", "rank_score": 137.327, "episodes": [{"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_2459a5f44a61", "episode_title": "180: Conti", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-10-06T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 61.9, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 80.8, "originality": 46.1, "hype_penalty": 9.0, "actionability": 100.0, "technical_depth": 46.0, "information_density": 61.4}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/141e0c43-f935-41de-be94-708448052c4d/images/dee6cb5f-8beb-4bdd-bf46-f52bed0c6034/Ep180_Square.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/180/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/141e0c43-f935-41de-be94-708448052c4d/darknet-diaries-ep180-conti.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/180/", "verdict": "worth_your_time", "why_listen": "It goes beyond the title with direct discussion of conti, jack, ransomware, including: Your throat gets dry, your chest gets a little heavy, and everything around you goes silent, especially when you see texts like this flash across your screen; \u00e2\u0080\u0098All of your files.", "summary": "This file was generated by Descript <www.descript.com> JACK: [Music] There\u00e2\u0080\u0099s a kind of silence that follows a ransomware attack. Your throat gets dry, your chest gets a little heavy, and everything around you goes silent, especially when you see texts like this flash across your screen; \u00e2\u0080\u0098All of your files are currently encrypted."}, {"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_6c7f5691eb57", "episode_title": "179: The Courthouse - Revisited", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-09-01T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 87.4, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 79.0, "originality": 52.9, "hype_penalty": 3.0, "actionability": 100.0, "technical_depth": 100.0, "information_density": 100.0}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/82aaba05-80c9-4d2e-8069-3c20f2b7dbc8/images/29b7e54a-1b96-44f2-9a6e-cebaa8fbe789/Ep179_Square.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/179/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/82aaba05-80c9-4d2e-8069-3c20f2b7dbc8/darknet-diaries-ep179-the-courthouse-revisited.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/179/", "verdict": "worth_your_time", "why_listen": "It goes beyond the title with direct discussion of like, justin, gary, including: Many of you asked how my dad is doing, and I\u00e2\u0080\u0099ll tell you; he\u00e2\u0080\u0099s struggling with the modern world.", "summary": "This file was generated by Descript <www.descript.com> JACK: I just came back from DEFCON, and it was so wonderful meeting so many of the listeners there. So like, I call my dad a few times a week just to check in on him, but he only calls me when he\u00e2\u0080\u0099s got computer problems."}, {"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_ce8e58625fc6", "episode_title": "178: Ubiquiti", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-08-04T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 77.4, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 47.7, "originality": 55.4, "hype_penalty": 6.9, "actionability": 100.0, "technical_depth": 98.5, "information_density": 100.0}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/e5c784a5-d775-435a-bbb4-cdb885fbf87a/images/70961159-7e87-45f8-9815-750384854b41/Ep178_Square.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/178/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/e5c784a5-d775-435a-bbb4-cdb885fbf87a/darknet-diaries-ep178-ubiquiti.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/178/", "verdict": "worth_your_time", "why_listen": "It goes beyond the title with direct discussion of nick, he's, like, including: I'm reading that each day your business is late to AI, you fall two days behind.", "summary": "This episode is sponsored by NetSuite."}, {"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_cb59885b65e8", "episode_title": "177: National Public Data", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-07-21T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 82.0, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 47.0, "originality": 44.1, "hype_penalty": 0.0, "actionability": 99.0, "technical_depth": 100.0, "information_density": 100.0}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/791c66f0-0bfc-420d-96a3-816c78a17f4c/images/ac12dc33-ea86-47ef-a6a8-01b70d3f3cd9/Ep177_Square.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/177/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/791c66f0-0bfc-420d-96a3-816c78a17f4c/darknet-diaries-ep177-national-public-data.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/177/", "verdict": "worth_your_time", "why_listen": "It goes beyond the title with direct discussion of data, like, william, including: I'm reading that each day your business is late to AI, you fall two days behind.", "summary": "This episode is sponsored by NetSuite."}, {"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_9268f2c56f56", "episode_title": "176: NSL", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-07-07T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 67.1, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 47.7, "originality": 59.9, "hype_penalty": 15.0, "actionability": 83.0, "technical_depth": 100.0, "information_density": 100.0}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/84de1d2b-0222-4815-88f6-ead9afcf4d08/images/0c35343e-4694-4a1f-b504-b1c3c0bb225a/Ep176_Square.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/176/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/84de1d2b-0222-4815-88f6-ead9afcf4d08/darknet-diaries-ep176-nsl.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/176/", "verdict": "worth_your_time", "why_listen": "It goes beyond the title with direct discussion of like, court, know, including: There was this undertaker guy named Stroger.", "summary": "There's a funny story that happened back in 1888."}, {"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_c94762a093be", "episode_title": "175: Bayrob", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-06-02T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 76.1, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 52.8, "originality": 46.8, "hype_penalty": 6.0, "actionability": 91.0, "technical_depth": 100.0, "information_density": 100.0}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/633acbfe-c5eb-4c84-9d97-536526b6d67f/images/ae391a17-7ef7-4c84-b7a0-6731c6df71cf/bayrobb.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/175/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/633acbfe-c5eb-4c84-9d97-536526b6d67f/darknet-diaries-ep175-bayrob.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/175/", "verdict": "worth_your_time", "why_listen": "It goes beyond the title with direct discussion of would, these, like, including: What a fun show this has been to make over the years.", "summary": "Hey, it's Jack, host of the show. It's a big and wild story, so let's not waste any time."}, {"episode_id": "ep_darknet_diaries_26cca723c856", "episode_title": "173: Tarjeteros", "podcast_name": "Darknet Diaries", "podcast_slug": "darknet_diaries", "source_id": "src_darknet_diaries", "category": "cybersecurity", "publish_date": "2026-04-21T07:00:00Z", "overall_score": 72.8, "score_breakdown": {"clarity": 90.0, "originality": 94.0, "hype_penalty": 2.0, "actionability": 30.0, "technical_depth": 65.0, "information_density": 75.0}, "podcast_cover_url": "https://f.prxu.org/7057/1c9ead67-2af4-45f7-b74f-3330ff11c0c1/images/042b0f81-d802-4317-90d3-4d8764469812/firehood2.jpg", "source_link": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/173/", "audio_url": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/7057/1c9ead67-2af4-45f7-b74f-3330ff11c0c1/darknet-diaries-ep173-tarjeteros.mp3", "listen_url": "https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/173/", "verdict": "must_listen", "why_listen": "It reveals how cybercrime scales through human networks, blending digital hacking with street-level execution in a way that exposes systemic vulnerabilities in global finance.", "summary": "A group of Dominican immigrants in Yonkers, led by Alberto Yusi Lajud-Pena, executed a coordinated ATM cash-out heist using a single hacked prepaid debit card with a $40 million limit, withdrawing $2.8 million in two hours across Manhattan. The operation was part of a global cybercrime ring where hackers compromised card processors over months, then activated 'cashers'\u2014often low-level recruits like delivery drivers and school-bus drivers\u2014to withdraw funds simultaneously. These 'tarjeteros' operated under precise timing, exploiting the anonymity of prepaid cards and the physical dispersion of ATMs to avoid detection."}], "category_breakdown": [{"category": "cybersecurity", "count": 7}]}