Cyber Uncut

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth talk about the latest AI news, the week in cyber crime, an important Aussie merger, and how a Hollywood actor is reclaiming his identity. The pair kick things off with some AI news, including Wikipedia woes, OpenAI's Atlas, and Yelp's new AI travel offering. Hollingworth and Croft then move on to the latest in cyber crime on Australian shores, but not before exploring the merger of AUCyber and 5G Networks. Hollingworth also has an update on the Collins Aerospace hack, with the threat actor making some outrageous claims about what the company knew and when. Finally, some good news, as actor Bryan Cranston wins a victory over OpenAI's use of his virtual likeness. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Liam Garman, and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how shifting defence alliances and Middle Eastern instability are reshaping national security. The conversation opens with Australia's growing regional partnerships, including the Australia–Singapore cooperation agreement and the new defence pact with Papua New Guinea, and how they strengthen deterrence amid China's rising Pacific influence. Thompson highlights the strategic value of Singapore's training operations in Shoalwater Bay and the expansion of joint science, technology, and logistics programs to bolster regional readiness. The hosts then turn to the Middle East, discussing the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas' re-emergence and the potential for renewed conflict. Garman warns that unrest abroad can spill into domestic division, referencing protests in Sydney and the challenges of maintaining unity at home. The discussion also touches on the return of ISIS brides to Australia, questioning how the government balances compassion, citizenship, and security. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI and how state governments are regulating its use, the Qantas leak and the 5 million people impacted, and we chat about major cyber attacks with SolarWinds CISO Tim Brown. Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing the fight that CBA has ignited with the Finance Sector Union and former staff after they botched an AI rollout. The pair then discuss the massive Qantas hack, the 5 million people affected and the identity of the hackers behind it. The podcast then cuts to a chat between Hollingworth and SolarWinds' CISO, Tim Brown, who provides a deep insight as to what it's like being in the middle of a major cyber attack. Finally, the two discuss the social media age ban once again, with the government now having launched an education campaign. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Liam Garman, and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how Australia's shifting information and economic environment is deepening social rifts and reshaping national security. Tarrant opens with the housing debate, questioning whether allowing buyers into the market with just a 5 per cent deposit strengthens opportunity or fuels instability. Garman warns that financial strain on younger Australians could erode national unity. The conversation turns to data sovereignty and AI infrastructure, and how Australia must strengthen data protection and build infrastructure capable of expanding a sovereign AI industry. The hosts also explore the evolving information and cyber domain, warning that influence operations and online manipulation are amplifying social division, examining a number of online influence campaigns. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth walk through the latest in AI news, with Deloitte paying money back to the NSW government for an AI report, hacking news, with a deep dive into just who Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters might be, and the Qilin ransomware gang taking responsibility for the Asahi hack. Croft and Hollingworth begin by talking about AI hallucinations stinging Deloitte, flood victims getting caught up in a ChatGPT data breach, and a first-of-its-kind fine levied against an Australian creator of deepfake pornography. The two then cover the week in cyber crime, tallying up some of the latest victims of Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, the shadowy links between that group and another "new" hacking group, and more cyber woes for Western Sydney University. Good news is thin on the ground this month, but Croft and Hollingworth find some in the fact that Asahi Japan is bringing its processes back online, as the Qilin RaaS operation takes responsibility for the attack. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI and how companies are prioritising it over staff, a brutal new ransomware operation publishing the data of young children, and the Department of Home Affairs looking to fill the new Cyber Incident Review Board. Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing the latest educational AI at the University of New England. The pair then discuss the threat to their favourite podcast beer, Asahi, which has halted production in Japan following a cyber attack. Croft and Hollingworth then discuss the ongoing Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack and the car maker's long-awaited restoration of manufacturing. Finally, the two discuss the Cyber Incident Review Board, which is currently looking for members. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth talk about NSWEduChat, a virtual Charlie Kirk, the impact of a cyber incident disrupting airports across Europe, and how Australian not-for-profits are getting a new tool to face a rising tide of ransomware attacks. Croft and Hollingworth open proceedings with Instagram's new AI age assurance checks then talk about the new AI tool being rolled out to NSW public school students and how promising it looks. The pair also discuss the ramifications of creating a deepfake of Charlie Kirk to address packed crowds at US megachurches in the wake of his murder and about a data leak on a website set up by American conservatives to out anyone speaking ill of Kirk. They also share an update on the Jaguar Land Rover hack which is still disrupting production in the UK and walk through a ransomware attack that has crippled a string of major European airports. Finally, Hollingworth and Croft find some good news, with NSW enacting legislation to tackle harmful deepfakes and a service offering cyber attack simulations to the not-for-profit sector, which has experienced a surge in malicious activity so far this year. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI and its incorporation in Australian education, the latest from ransomware operators targeting Australian organisations, and the alleged retirement of Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters. Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing UNSW and its partnership with OpenAI, which will see 10,000 licenses rolled out to students. The pair then discuss new and older ransomware gangs, with a new sophisticated ransomware operation called The Gentlemen coming out of the gates strong, while Kairos continues to harm Australian businesses. Croft and Hollingworth then discuss the ongoing Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack, which has led to increased factory operation delays. Finally, the two discuss action by eSafety to introduce new safeguards in the popular online game Roblox to protect children from predators, a move that Roblox seems to be complying with. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by the Honourable Andrew Hastie MP, shadow minister for home affairs, for a hard-hitting discussion on the shifting nature of Australia's national security challenges. No longer confined to conventional defence or counter-terrorism, the security debate now spans economic sovereignty, industrial security, and social cohesion. Against the backdrop of recent revelations of Iranian espionage attempts on Australian soil, Hastie warns that hostile foreign actors are probing Australia's vulnerabilities, not only in cyber space and critical infrastructure, but in the trust that underpins our diverse society. Throughout the conversation, Hastie shares how his perspective has sharpened since stepping into the shadow portfolio following his time as shadow minister for Defence. He outlines the emerging contest for resilience – whether in defending supply chains, protecting advanced technologies, or insulating the national economy from coercion. Kuper presses Hastie on the domestic implications of foreign espionage operations, particularly the way they threaten multicultural harmony and fuel social division. Hastie stresses that Australia must be proactive in countering influence operations, strengthening intelligence partnerships, and reinforcing trust across society. The discussion then broadens to the strategic importance of resilience, a whole-of-nation approach that prepares Australians not just to respond to crises, but to withstand them. Hastie points to key policy gaps, from weak industrial capacity to fragmented national planning, and calls for a more integrated framework that links defence, economy, and society into a coherent security posture. As Australia navigates an increasingly contested world, this episode challenges listeners to rethink what security really means. The conversation offers sharp insights into how Australia can adapt to a new era of threats and why resilience must sit at the heart of any credible national security agenda. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI news, concerning developments in the world of cyber crime, and recommendations by the Law Council of Australia regarding the next phase of the nation's Cyber Security Strategy. Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing eSafety and changes made to the Online Safety Act to ensure that young children are less vulnerable to the dangers of sexually explicit and other AI chatbots. The pair then discuss the dramatic increase in ransomware attacks worldwide and in Australia, as well as the Australian Cyber Security Centre's alarm over a year-old vulnerability being exploited against Australian organisations. Croft and Hollingworth then discuss the ongoing Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack, with data now confirmed compromised and an impact that could last until at least next month. Finally, the two discuss the Law Council of Australia's recommendations for Horizon 2 of the Australian Cyber Security Strategy, which suggest that small businesses should have their cyber security subsidised. Enjoy the episode, The Cyber Uncut team