Risky Business #751 -- Snowflake, operation Endgame and Microsoft's looming FTC problem
Jun 5, 2024
auto_awesome
Joseph Cox, 404 Media co-founder, discusses FBI's Anom sting in his new book Dark Wire. Topics include Snowflake breach, Operation Endgame against malware services, and potential FTC probe into Microsoft. Show also covers ransomware hits in Russia, cybersecurity incidents, and Phantom Secure's downfall. Terraform simplification and cloud security management practices are highlighted for efficient operations.
FTC Considering Antitrust Probe on Microsoft's Licensing and Bundling Practices
The FTC is engaging with tech industry executives to possibly investigate Microsoft for potential antitrust violations related to its licensing and bundling practices. Concerns have been raised that Microsoft's practices may discourage the use of best-of-breed security solutions, impacting competition in the market.
The Book 'Dark Wire' Explores the FBI's Anom Operation
The book 'Dark Wire' by Joseph Cox delves into the FBI's Anom Sting operation, where the FBI ran a crime phone network that captured all messages in real-time for prosecution. This operation led to numerous convictions and served as a pivotal moment in the landscape of crime phones and law enforcement interventions.
The Rise and Fall of Phantom Secure and Vincent Ramos
Phantom Secure, founded by Vincent Ramos, initially operated as a legitimate business before transitioning to serving criminal clientele with secure encrypted phones. As criminal usage increased, Phantom Secure lost its competitive edge, leading Ramos to embrace the criminal user base for financial gains, ultimately resulting in his downfall due to facilitating criminal activities.
American Legal Strategy Against Phantom Secure
The Americans utilized the RICO law traditionally employed against mob bosses to target Phantom Secure, treating it as a criminal organization. This legal approach proved crucial in dismantling the encrypted phone industry, providing a vital tool in combating its criminal activities. The FBI's operation involved running Anon, a startup-like encrypted service, with a small team from San Diego FBI and prosecutors. The Americans brought legal expertise that enabled them to disrupt the encrypted phone market.
Operational Challenges Faced by the FBI and Anon
Anon's growth posed operational challenges for the FBI, with concerns arising about losing control over the operation due to its rapid expansion. Despite being able to shut down the operation at any time, resource constraints and rapid growth led to operational complexities. The FBI faced difficulties in maintaining control over the supply chain of flashed devices, raising concerns about the operation's scalability and sustainability. Anon's success attracted known criminals like Hakana Yik, demonstrating the intricate balance between law enforcement operations and criminal enterprises.
On this week’s show Patrick Gray and Mark Piper discuss the week’s security news, including:
What on earth happened at Snowflake?
A look at operation Endgame
Check Point’s hilarious adventures with dot dot slash
Report says the FTC is looking at Microsoft’s security product bundling
More ransomware hits Russia
Much, much more
404 Media co-founder Joseph Cox is this week’s feature guest. He joins us to talk about his new book, Dark Wire, which is all about the FBI’s Anom sting.
This week’s show is brought to you by Resourcely. If your Terraform is a mess or your CSPM dashboards are lighting up with insane and stupid things, you should check out Resourcely. Its founder and CEO Travis McPeak will be along in this week’s sponsor interview to talk about all things Terraform.