How threat-informed defense benefits each security team member - Frank Duff, Nathan Sportsman - ESW #389

We're thrilled to have Frank Duff on to discuss threat-informed defense. As one of the MITRE folks that helped create MITRE ATT&CK and ATT&CK evaluations, Frank has been working on how best to define and communicate attack language for many years now. The company he founded, Tidal Cyber is in a unique position to both leverage what MITRE has built with ATT&CK and help enterprises operationalize it.

Segment Resources:

• Tidal Cyber website
• Tidal Cyber Community Edition

We're a fan of hacker lore and history here at Security Weekly. In fact, Paul's Security Weekly has interviewed some of the most notable (and notorious) personalities from both the business side of the industry and the hacker community.

We're very excited to share this new effort to document hacker history through in-person interviews. The series is called "Where Warlocks Stay Up Late", and is the creation of Nathan Sportsman and other folks at Praetorian. The timing is crucial, as a lot of the original hackers and tech innovators are getting older, and we've already lost a few.

References:

• Check out the Where the Warlocks Stay Up Late website and subscribe to get notified of each episode as it is released
• Check out the anthropological hacker map and relive your misspent youth!

In this latest Enterprise Security Weekly episode, we explored some significant cybersecurity developments, starting with Veracode’s acquisition of Phylum, a company specializing in detecting malicious code in open-source libraries. The acquisition sparked speculation that it might be more about Veracode staying relevant in a rapidly evolving market rather than a strategic growth move, especially given the rising influence of AI-driven code analysis tools. We also covered One Password's acquisition of a UK-based shadow IT detection firm, raising interesting questions about their expansion into access management. Notably, the deal involved celebrity investors like Matthew McConaughey and Ashton Kutcher, suggesting a trend where Hollywood influence intersects with cybersecurity branding.

A major highlight was the Cyber Haven breach, where a compromised Chrome extension update led to stolen credentials. The attack was executed through a phishing campaign disguised as a Google policy violation warning. To their credit, Cyber Haven responded swiftly, pulling the extension within two hours and maintaining transparency throughout. This incident underscored broader concerns around the poor security of browser extensions, an issue that continues to be exploited due to lax marketplace oversight.

We also reflected on Corey Doctorow's concept of "Enshittification," critiquing platforms that prioritize profit and engagement metrics over genuine user experiences. His decision to disable vanity metrics resonated, especially considering how often engagement numbers are inflated in corporate settings. The episode wrapped with a thoughtful discussion on how CISOs can say "no" more effectively, emphasizing "yes, but" strategies and the importance of consistency. We also debated the usability frustrations of "magic links" for authentication, arguing that simpler alternatives like passkeys or multi-factor codes could offer a better balance between security and convenience.

Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/esw for all the latest episodes!

Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-389