Secure Talk Podcast - "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime": Nick Furneaux on Blockchain Investigation, Digital Forensics, and the Future of Cryptocurrency

"There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime": Nick Furneaux on Blockchain Investigation, Digital Forensics, and the Future of Cryptocurrency

04/08/25 • 48 min

In this eye-opening episode of SecureTalk, host Justin Beals sits down with Nick Furneaux, renowned cryptocurrency investigator and author of the provocatively titled book "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime." Furneaux shares his extensive expertise on blockchain technology, cryptocurrency investigations, and the evolving landscape of digital financial crimes.

Key Topics Discussed:

The meaning behind Furneaux's book title "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime" and why traditional investigation skills remain relevant

The fundamental differences between Bitcoin and newer cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana
How blockchain technology actually helps investigators through its open ledger system
The mechanics behind "rug pulls" and other crypto-related scams
The role of mining in cryptocurrency ownership and value
How TRM Forensics tools help trace illicit cryptocurrency transactions
The concerning rise of human trafficking in crypto scam operations
How AI is transforming both criminal schemes and investigation techniques

Notable Quotes:

"There is no such thing as a crypto-only crime. There is no new criminal category. There is just a new payment mechanism." - Nick Furneaux

"The Bitcoin source code is some of the most beautiful code ever written. It is extraordinary... and it's never been hacked." - Nick Furneaux

"We're in a situation now where the victim is a victim, and the scammer is a victim." - Nick Furneaux on trafficking in scam compounds

About Nick Furneaux:

Nick Furneaux is a digital forensics expert, cryptocurrency investigator, and cybersecurity specialist. He has worked in digital forensics for many years and is known for his expertise in cryptocurrency investigations. He has served as a trainer and consultant for law enforcement agencies and private organizations on matters related to digital forensics and cryptocurrency tracing.

He is the author of *There’s No Such Thing as Cryptocrime* (2024) and *Investigating Cryptocurrencies* (2018). He has trained thousands of investigators in the essential skills needed to track cryptocurrencies involved in criminal activities. Currently, he works as a Blockchain Intelligence Expert and Master Trainer at TRM Labs and serves as an advisor to the Board of Asset Reality.

Resources Mentioned:

Book: "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime" by Nick Furneaux (link)

Book: "Investigating Cryptocurrencies" by Nick Furneaux (link)

TRM Forensics Investigative Toolkit

This episode provides invaluable insights for cybersecurity professionals, financial investigators, and anyone interested in understanding cryptocurrency's role in modern digital crime investigations.

SecureTalk is hosted by Justin Beals, bringing you expert conversations with the leading minds in cybersecurity.

#Cryptocurrency #BlockchainForensics #CryptoInvestigation #Cybersecurity #DigitalForensics #Bitcoin #Ethereum #CryptoScams #FinancialCrime

Key Topics Discussed:

The meaning behind Furneaux's book title "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime" and why traditional investigation skills remain relevant

The fundamental differences between Bitcoin and newer cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana
How blockchain technology actually helps investigators through its open ledger system
The mechanics behind "rug pulls" and other crypto-related scams
The role of mining in cryptocurrency ownership and value
How TRM Forensics tools help trace illicit cryptocurrency transactions
The concerning rise of human trafficking in crypto scam operations
How AI is transforming both criminal schemes and investigation techniques

Notable Quotes:

"There is no such thing as a crypto-only crime. There is no new criminal category. There is just a new payment mechanism." - Nick Furneaux

"The Bitcoin source code is some of the most beautiful code ever written. It is extraordinary... and it's never been hacked." - Nick Furneaux

"We're in a situation now where the victim is a victim, and the scammer is a victim." - Nick Furneaux on trafficking in scam compounds

About Nick Furneaux:

Resources Mentioned:

Book: "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime" by Nick Furneaux (link)

Book: "Investigating Cryptocurrencies" by Nick Furneaux (link)

TRM Forensics Investigative Toolkit

SecureTalk is hosted by Justin Beals, bringing you expert conversations with the leading minds in cybersecurity.

#Cryptocurrency #BlockchainForensics #CryptoInvestigation #Cybersecurity #DigitalForensics #Bitcoin #Ethereum #CryptoScams #FinancialCrime

Previous Episode

Hijacking AI Memory: Inside Johann Rehberger's ChatGPT Security Breakthrough

In this eye-opening episode of SecureTalk, host Justin Beals interviews Johann Rehberger, a seasoned cybersecurity expert and Red Team Director at Electronic Arts, about his groundbreaking discovery of a critical vulnerability in ChatGPT's memory system.

Johann shares how his security background and curiosity about AI led him to uncover the "SPAIWARE" attack - a persistent malicious instruction that can be injected into ChatGPT's long-term memory, potentially leading to data exfiltration and other security risks.

Key Topics Covered

Johann's journey from Microsoft development consultant to becoming a leading red team expert specializing in AI security
The discovery of ChatGPT's memory system vulnerability and how it could be exploited
How traditional security concepts like the CIA security triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) apply to AI systems
The development of "SPAIWARE" - a persistent prompt injection attack that can leak user data
Command and control infrastructure using prompt injection techniques
The challenges of securing agentic AI systems that can control web browsers and execute tasks
The evolving relationship between security researchers and AI companies like OpenAI

Notable Quotes

"I think using this system is just so important because it can help you. They are so powerful. I started using it daily. But the security mindset of course too, because I use it for my productivity, but I always use it for trying to find the flaws and trying to understand how it works." - Johann Rehberger

"What I did basically was use that technique and then insert that instruction in memory. So that whenever there's a conversation turn, the user has a question, ChatGPT responds. Every single conversation turn will be sent to the third-party server. So this is where the word spyware basically kind of came from." - Johann Rehberger

"The better the models become, the better they follow instructions, including attacker instructions." - Johann Rehberger

About Johann Rehberger

Johann Rehberger is the Red Team Director at Electronic Arts with extensive experience in cybersecurity. His career includes roles at Microsoft, where he led the Red Team for Azure Data, and Uber, where he served as Red Team Lead. Johann is known for his pioneering work in AI security, specifically identifying and responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities in large language models like ChatGPT.

Resources Mentioned

Johann's blog on machine learning security (https://embracethered.com/blog/index.html)
Black Hat Europe presentation on ChatGPT security vulnerabilities
LLM Owasp Top 10 vulnerability classifications

Connect With Us

Follow SecureTalk for more insights on cybersecurity trends and emerging threats. Visit our website at www.securetalkpodcast.com for more episodes and resources.

#AISecurityRisks #PromptInjection #ChatGPT #Cybersecurity #AIVulnerabilities #RedTeaming #SecureTalk