Two U.S. cybersecurity professionals, Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce through extortion. They are accused of collaborating with the ransomware gang ALPHV Blackcat to encrypt networks of unnamed U.S. companies, aiming to extort millions in cryptocurrency. Both face a maximum of 20 years in prison at their sentencing in March. The case highlights professionals in the digital protection field allegedly aiding criminal cyber activities.