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CIB
In the mid-2020s, the age demographic known as Generation Z, or Gen Z, began hitting their thirties. Like the Millennials who preceded them, Gen Z were characterized as even more comfortable – if not dependent upon – technology in nearly every aspect of their lives. Social scientists frequently characterize Gen Z as having grown up with cell phone and internet usage from a very young age, and interacting on social media websites for a significant portion of their socializing. Image and video-intensive media are more popular among this group than textual narratives, and many Gen Z self-identify by the social media communities to which they belong and as having rejected excessive consumerism.
Both the September 11 terrorist attacks and the Great Recession greatly influenced the attitudes of this generation in the United States, and resulted in a feeling of unsettlement and insecurity among Gen Z. Although Millennials experienced these events during their coming of age, Gen Z lived through them as part of their childhood, affecting their realism and world-view. Although many Gen Z sought to avoid the financial stresses experienced by their parents, many found themselves stuck with excessive college debt when they discovered employment options did not meet their expectations. Gen Z are often described as seeking independence and opportunity but are also among the least likely to believe there is such a thing as the “American Dream,” and that “the system is rigged” against them. Frequently seeing themselves as agents for social change, they crave fulfillment and excitement in their job to help “move the world forward.” Despite the technological proficiency they possess, Gen Z actually prefer person-to-person contact as opposed to online interaction. They describe themselves as being involved in their virtual and physical communities, and as having rejected excessive consumerism.
In early 2025, a group identifying itself as “Zbellion” gained traction on the Dark Web. Zbellion capitalized on the fears and insecurities of Gen Z, and called for a global cyber campaign to expose injustice and corruption and to support various causes it deemed beneficial. It appears that Zbellion initially formed in small groups at parks, rallies, protests and coffee shops, and grew rapidly by promoting an agenda, which targets corporations, financial institutions, and political and non-profit organizations that support “the establishment.” Recruitment appears focused in large cities via face-to-face contact, providing initial instructions for accessing Zbellion websites. These websites provide target lists (to include data needed for identity and credit card theft), payloads, and exploits to activists. Zbellion uses software programs to route any proceeds into laundering programs that ultimately convert national currencies into Bitcoin and make “small, below the threshold donations” to “worthy recipients” and, if Zbellion members claim financial need, to the member who conducted the attack. Zbellion “leadership” assures its members that their cybercrimes are “ultimately justifiable” and untraceable, and that it selects its targets and beneficiaries based on secure polling of “network delegates.”
Zbellion provides its members with sophisticated adaptations of the latest malware, making it difficult for cyber security programs to keep pace with the threat. Computer Network Defense (CND) analysis indicates Zbellion appears to have originated in Seattle and spread rapidly to New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Austin. Today, Zbellion activities has been noted in Vancouver, Toronto, most major European cities, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Amman, Dubai, Cairo, Tunis, Rabat, Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg, New Delhi, Lahore, Tokyo, Osaka, Manila, Jakarta, Hanoi, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota, Panama City, Havana, and Mexico City.
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