Risky Business #778 -- Musk's child soldiers seize control of FedGov IT systems
Feb 5, 2025
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Josh Kamdjou, co-founder and CEO of Sublime Security, dives into the significant challenges facing email security. He discusses how attackers exploit trusted platforms like DocuSign for phishing campaigns. The conversation also touches on recent cybersecurity breaches, the complexities of managing government IT systems, and the necessity for advanced detection methods in email security. Kamdjou highlights the continuous evolution of scammers’ tactics and the importance of robust defenses to safeguard sensitive information.
Elon Musk's aggressive oversight of U.S. government tech raises concerns about data management and transparency amidst previous breaches.
DeepSeek's exposed database vulnerabilities underscore the systemic flaws in security measures frequently encountered by rapidly growing startups.
The rise of malicious apps targeting cryptocurrency highlights the sophistication of cybercriminals using deception to exploit user trust and security.
Deep dives
Elon Musk's Data Governance Impact
Elon Musk has assembled a team tasked with overseeing various arms of the U.S. government, raising concerns about data governance. Reports indicate that this team is taking an aggressive approach, including overnight work sessions within government offices. This shift has led to worries about the management and oversight of sensitive data, especially considering past breaches like the one at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The implications of this data control dynamics are significant, as Musk's approach may lack proper transparency and oversight.
Deep Seek's Security Vulnerabilities
A recent investigation has unveiled significant security vulnerabilities within the Chinese AI startup, Deep Seek. Wiz, a cybersecurity firm, reported finding exposed databases and a lack of authentication protocols, which allowed easy access to sensitive information. This situation mirrors common issues faced by startups, where rapid growth often outpaces the establishment of robust security measures. Such vulnerabilities not only compromise data security but also highlight systemic flaws in how new tech companies manage their infrastructure.
Malicious Apps Targeting Cryptocurrency
Malicious mobile applications have surfaced in both the iOS and Android app stores, aimed at stealing cryptocurrency through deceptive means. These apps masqueraded as legitimate services, prompting users to grant access to their photo galleries under the guise of customer support. By leveraging optical character recognition, the apps could scan for and extract cryptocurrency recovery phrases stored in users' photos. This sophisticated method showcases the increasing ingenuity of cybercriminals and the risks associated with app security.
Email Security Challenges from Trusted Sources
Attacks leveraging trusted services, such as DocuSign and Cloudflare, have become a prominent trend in cybersecurity. Attackers manipulate these platforms to send legitimate-looking emails, making detection more difficult for security systems. The emails often pass sender authentication checks, complicating the process for businesses to identify malicious content. Effective email security, therefore, requires granular detection mechanisms that can differentiate between legitimate communications and subtle exploitation of trusted services.
Consequences of Targeting Political Figures
Recent reports reveal that UK political figures are being targeted through hacking attempts on personal email accounts, notably that of Keir Starmer. The lack of two-factor authentication and the predictability of the email address raised alarm among security services. This incident reflects not only the vulnerabilities of public figures but also highlights the broader issue of cyber threats to political stability. The low public reaction may indicate a general desensitization to email hacks, despite their potential strategic implications.
On this week’s show Patrick Gray and Adam Boileau discuss the week’s cybersecurity news, including:
DeepSeek leaves an unauthed database on the internet
Russia hacked UK prime minister’s personal mail
Australia sanctions a Telegram group… which is more sensible than it sounds
Medical device backdoor turns out to be just poorly thought out upgrade feature
Google abuses weak hashing to patch AMD CPU microcode
And much, much more.
This week’s episode is sponsored by email security boffins Sublime. Their co-founder and CEO Josh Kamdjou joins to talk about how attackers’ abuse of legitimate services like Docusign is a challenge for email security vendors.