Thats exactly what the Mexican cartels had until the guy that ran it flipped on them. They even had their own cell towers in remote areas of Mexico.

> anyone who can do that wouldn't waste their lives workin for criminals when they can make safe money legally

The skills required to set up a secure communications network aren't that valued (as in it won't make you a millionaire) in the legal world, and even less so in Europe where IT salaries are absolutely terrible.

It will allow you to live comfortably at least.

Look I know because I've been between those two worlds. When I was around criminals I had the option of working for them for money and would probably make more than I do today because it would be tax free. But it wouldn't be millions because I'd be in the background helping out with IT infra and policy. So if you're smart you take less money to be left as far outside as possible.

The problem is that it's not possible to be outside of that world. You will be taken advantage of. You will be a golden goose that everyone wants a part of just because you can manage their IT securely.

So I was smart and got a safe IT job where I make enough to live very comfortably, work where I want, practically when I want and with people who are not openly sociopaths.

What I meant is that if someone doesn't have a moral problem with breaking the law, US tech wages are more likely to sway them towards the right path (just because of the risk aversity) than EU wages where IT isn't well-compensated.

I know as well because when starting my career I had to make a choice - if it wasn't for a stroke of luck I may have had to pick the wrong path out of desperation (whether I would've made it anywhere is another question - sounds like you looked into it farther than I did).

Thankfully everything worked out and I haven't needed to be on the wrong side of the law, but this was down to luck - you can very well have the skills that would pay well in the criminal world while being stuck in a situation where you can't get much out of those skills in the legal world, so I disagree with the idea that having those skills automatically gives you the option to make a good living legally.

I try not to identify myself too much with this account but I'm talking from an EU perspective, not US. Just FYI.

Not only EU perspective but Swedish one too where it's very difficult to launder cash.

So it's just not a smart decision to get in bed with crazy criminals. It was a decision I pondered as a young and short sighted 20 year old.

In retrospect it's much easier to make a comfortable living as a simple SRE, Sysadmin or Devops consultant. What ever basic knowledge you must have to setup a proper PKI is enough skill to become at least one of those professions.