Ctrl+Alt+Chaos

‘An illuminating and often scary book’ The Daily Telegraph

‘Joe has a gift for uncovering stories others can’t and turning them into something unforgettable. This book doesn’t just tell a story. It grabs you, pulls you in, and doesn’t let go.’ Jack Rhysider, Darknet Diaries podcast

From the BBC’s cyber correspondent and foremost voice on cybercrime comes the insider exposé of the global rise of teen hackers: Ctrl+Alt+Chaos.

Cyber correspondent Joe Tidy has investigated and interviewed the most infamous teenage hacker gangs of the past decade for the BBC, and previously for Sky News. Now he unveils the dark digital underbelly where teenage boys are reshaping cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, and organised crime under the noses of their parents.

Throughout he chronicles the life of Julius Kivimaki, aka Zeekill, arguably the most hated hacker in history, from 12-year-old nuisance hacker to a Most Wanted cybercriminal culminating in his 2023 capture. In one of the cruellest hacks in history, he blackmailed 30,000 Finnish psychotherapy patients with their stolen notes. Kivimaki's story gives us vital insights into how hackers find their feet and become dangerous criminals.

Tracking the rise and fall of groups such as LulzSec, HTP, UG Nazi, and Lizard Squad, Ctrl+Alt+Chaos features exclusive interviews with the hackers as well as the police officers trying to stop them. Joe Tidy also draws parallels with recent high-profile attacks from other teenage gangs and ask the question - how can we stop the cycle of teenage boys hijacking life online?