Tech Teacher

Author/Source: ** Steven Masada – Assistant General Counsel, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit See the full link here

**Takeaway

** This article explains how Microsoft, with law enforcement, shut down RedVDS, a service that helped criminals commit fraud. You will learn how RedVDS operated and the significant impact it had on businesses and individuals globally.

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**Technical Subject Understandability

** The article explains technical concepts like virtual computers and BEC in simple terms, making it accessible. So, Beginner.

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**Analogy/Comparison

** RedVDS is like an online store where criminals can easily buy tools and services to commit crimes, similar to how someone might buy a subscription for a helpful software tool.

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**Why It Matters

** This topic is important because cybercrime causes huge financial losses and emotional distress. For example, RedVDS-enabled activity led to roughly $40 million in reported fraud losses in the US alone, including a pharmaceutical company losing over $7.3 million meant for life-saving medications.

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**Related Terms

The article defines or explains “RedVDS,” “cybercrime-as-a-service,” “virtual computers,” “phishing emails,” “payment diversion fraud,” and “business email compromise (BEC).”

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**Jargon Conversion

* RedVDS: An online service that provides criminals with virtual computers to commit fraud. Cybercrime-as-a-service: An online marketplace where criminals can buy and sell tools and services to carry out cyberattacks. Virtual computers: Online computers that criminals can use temporarily, making their actions hard to trace. Phishing emails: Deceptive emails sent to trick people into giving up personal information or clicking on malicious links. Payment diversion fraud (or Business Email Compromise/BEC): A type of scam where attackers trick someone into sending money to the wrong bank account by pretending to be a trusted person or company.