Darknet Diaries

Jack Rhysider's long-running narrative podcast on hacking, cybercrime, and intelligence — single-story episodes built around interviews with named participants on the operational side of real incidents.

Who it's for

Anyone in security who likes long-form audio storytelling, plus general listeners curious about the field. The single best entry-point podcast in cybersecurity; many practitioners trace their entry into the field to a specific Darknet Diaries episode.

Who it's not for

Listeners wanting daily news or breaking-incident coverage; Darknet Diaries is bi-weekly story-driven and doesn't track current events. Specialists may find some episodes covering ground they already know, though the interview access is usually fresh.

Key takeaways

• Rhysider's interviewing skill — drawing operational detail from people who normally don't speak publicly — is the show's defining strength and the reason episodes hold up across years.
• The breadth (carding, ransomware, cyber espionage, physical pentests, NSA, defense contractors) makes the back catalog the closest thing to an audio history of the field.
• Episodes 100+ are particularly strong; treat the back catalog as the curriculum and recent episodes as the continuing education.

Notes

Pair with The Lazarus Heist (BBC) for the more journalistic adjacent listening and with Risky Business for the news-and-industry register Rhysider deliberately doesn't cover. Independently produced and listener-supported, which is part of why it can take the editorial risks it does. Required listening for anyone in or adjacent to the field.