Malicious Life

Ran Levi created Malicious Life to answer a question most security podcasts ignore: how did we get here? Over 265 episodes produced between 2017 and 2024, the show told the stories behind the history of cybersecurity — the early viruses, the hacker groups, the zero-days that changed everything. Each episode plays out like a mini-documentary, with Levi narrating and weaving in commentary from the actual people involved: hackers, security researchers, journalists, and government officials. The production was sponsored by Cybereason, which gave the show resources for solid research and clean audio. Levi's narration style is measured and precise, with an Israeli accent that gives the show a distinctive character. He covered topics like the rise and fall of Anonymous, APT-10's operations against Western corporations, and the Weev saga, always with enough context that you understand the broader implications of each story. One thing to know: this show appears to have stopped producing new episodes in 2024. The back catalog is still available and absolutely worth working through — 265 episodes of cybersecurity history told well is a resource that does not go stale easily. The show holds a 4.8 rating from over 900 reviews on Apple Podcasts, and listener comments still pop up asking Levi to come back. If you enjoy narrative-driven shows like Darknet Diaries and want something more focused on historical context, Malicious Life is a fantastic companion piece. Just know you are listening to a completed library rather than an ongoing series.