Google’s top hacker hunter explains why hacking groups get codenames

Google has changed how it names and refers to hacking groups, prompting questions about why threat actors receive codenames at all. TechCrunch spoke with a leading hacker-tracking expert to explain how naming helps researchers organize, communicate, and compare activity across campaigns.

The shift highlights how threat intelligence is becoming more standardized and communications-driven as cyberattacks grow more complex. Clear naming can help defenders coordinate faster, but inconsistent labels across vendors can still create confusion for customers and researchers.