The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast

On this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast we take a closer look at the RSA Conference: past, present and future.The RSA Conference is a series of IT security conferences. Approximately 45,000 people attend one of the conferences each year. It was founded in 1991 as a small cryptography conference. RSA conferences take place in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the United Arab Emirates each year. The conference also hosts educational, professional networking, and awards programs.

On this episode of The Cyebrsecurity Defenders Podcast, we talk platformization and the SecOps Cloud Platform with Maxime Lamothe-Brassard, Founder & CEO of LimaCharlie.In a world where digital transformation has become the norm, cybersecurity professionals face unprecedented challenges. The traditional approach of managing dozens of disparate point solutions and siloed security tools, while attempting to control costs, is no longer sufficient.It's time to embrace a new era of cybersecurity in the SecOps Cloud Platform – one that treats cybersecurity as a set of capabilities much like how cloud providers did for IT. We challenge you to question the status quo and to open your mind a new way of thinking about security operations.You can get started for free at limacharlie.io

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast, we discuss some cutting-edge intel coming out of LimaCharlie's community Slack channel.Ukrainian hackers claim to have breached the Russian drone developer Albatross, leaking 100 gigabytes of data, including internal documentation, technical data and drawings of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles.A critical vulnerability in Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server was used to deploy a Linux variant of Cerber ransomware.Cisco Talos are actively monitoring a global increase in brute-force attacks against a variety of targets, including VPN services, web application authentication interfaces and SSH services since at least March 18, 2024. An emerging threat campaign named ArcaneDoor, orchestrated by a previously unknown actor identified as UAT4356, now also known as STORM-1849 by Microsoft.The MITRE Corporation reported a significant security breach within one of its specialized networks, the Networked Experimentation, Research, and Virtualization Environment - or NERVE.

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast, we take a close look at Open Source Intelligence with Mishaal Khan, Cybersecurity Practice Lead at Mindsight.Misshal is a jack of all trades and master of some! With a profound knack for thinking like the bad guys, Misshal harnesses his extensive knowledge—from the nitty-gritty of bits and bytes to intricate business processes. As a techie, Ethical Hacker, OSINT enthusiast, and Social Engineer, he leverages his diverse skillset to help organizations fortify their defenses and tackle real-world security challenges. You can find out more about his book, The Phantom CISO, on his website, here.And you can learn more about Operation Privacy here.

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast, we discuss the GRU-backed cyber unit Sandworm which was recently promoted to APT44 by Mandiant.Sandworm is a notorious hacking group, believed to be linked to Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU. Known for its destructive cyberattacks, Sandworm has targeted various sectors worldwide, including energy, media, and election systems. Their activities are marked by the use of sophisticated malware and tactics that not only seek to steal information but also to disrupt critical infrastructure. The group gained international prominence with attacks like NotPetya in 2017, which caused billions of dollars in damage across multiple countries, emphasizing their capability to impact global cyber stability.The name "Sandworm" is inspired by the monstrous creatures from Frank Herbert's science fiction novel "Dune," reflecting the group's elusive and destructive nature. Over the years, Sandworm's operations have evolved, showcasing their adaptability and the increasing complexity of their attacks. This evolution highlights the growing challenges in cybersecurity, making the understanding of such threat actors crucial for developing robust defense strategies against state-sponsored cyber warfare.YouTube video showing Sandworm attacking a Ukrainian power plant here.Episode #56 - When the lights went out in Ukraine (Part 1)Episode #74 - When the lights went out in Ukraine (Part 2)Episode #16 - NotPetya

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast, we discuss some cutting-edge intel coming out of LimaCharlie's community Slack channel.eSentire's Threat Response Unit has observed FakeBat loader being distributed via FakeUpdates, ultimately leading to a LummaC2 infection via a custom-written PaykRunPE provided by the FakeBat Threat Actors.CISA is investigating a breach at business intelligence company Sisense and urged all Sisense customers to reset any credentials and secrets that may have been shared with the company.CISA has confirmed that Russian government-backed hackers stole emails from several U.S. federal agencies as a result of an ongoing cyberattack at Microsoft.Volexity identified a zero-day exploitation of a vulnerability found within the GlobalProtect feature of Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS at one of its network security monitoring customers.

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast, we take a close look at Digital Forensics with Carlos Cajigas, CTO of Covert Bit.Carlos is a seasoned Incident Response professional hailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Carlos's journey in the field began after dedicating over a decade to law enforcement, specializing as a Digital Forensics Detective and Examiner in West Palm Beach, Florida. His extensive experience spans conducting detailed examinations on numerous digital devices, backed by hundreds of hours in specialized training from reputable institutions like EnCase, NW3C, Access Data, and SANS, to name a few. Carlos is not just an expert in the field; he's also a dedicated educator, holding instructor roles with both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and SANS, where he teaches courses on Windows Forensic Analysis and Advanced Incident Response. With a solid academic foundation, Carlos brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into today's digital forensics and incident response landscape.You can find Carlos on Twitter/X here.

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast, we discuss some cutting-edge intel coming out of LimaCharlie's community Slack channel.On March 29, 2024 defenders became aware that a backdoor was intentionally planted inside of XZ Utils an open source data compression utility available on many installations of Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. The threat actors behind this implant likely spent years on this operation and were very close to getting the backdoor merged into Debian and Redhat before it was discovered.The original disclosure email can be found here.A technical break down of the compromise can be found here.A Wired article covering the compromise in-depth can be found here.

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast we have an in-depth talk about the cyber threat from China, with Adam Kozy and Daniel Velasquez.Daniel started his career as a defender in the United States Marine Corps as an intelligence analyst where he served in Afghanistan - from there he went on to work with the Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Special Operations Command and the CIA. After his service, he was a director at Mandiant and is now the Executive Vice President of OP[4] - a company providing security for critical devices and embedded systems.Adam began his career as an intelligence analyst working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation where he provided all-source analysis of Asia-Pacifc related cybersecurity issues. After the FBI, Adam was the principal intelligence analyst for the Asia cyber team at CrowdStrike. Currently, he is the founder of SinaCyber which is a boutique consulting firm combining native Chinese language research and cyber intelligence expertise to create bespoke reports for government officials, technology firms, and financial institutions under threat from China's rampant cyber espionage campaigns.The history of China and its people goes back to ancient times. It is a rich and beautiful culture that has given much to the world in the form of art, ideas and technology. When we talk about China or the Chinese in this podcast episode we are specifically talking about the Chinese Communist Party - or CCP - which are a group of elites offering an increasingly authoritarian world view and alternative model to Western ideals of democracy and freedom. The Chinese people themselves are not your enemy. Current laws in China make it easy for the CCP to co-opt its citizenry for use in intelligence operations, wittingly and unwittingly. Unnecessarily making this into a racial divide alienates the folks that can help us the most in the coming years and provides more ammunition for Beijing.It was an incredible honor to speak with these two, and I hope you enjoy this conversation full of valuable information.Adam's testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Hearing on, “China’s Cyber Capabilities: Warfare, Espionage, and Implications for the United States” here.The Mandiant report on APT1 can be found here.

In this episode of The Cybersecurity Defenders Podcast we speak with Salvador Mendoza, Director of Research and Development at Metabase Q, about the tokenization of payment systems.Salvador is a prominent figure in the cybersecurity industry and holds the position of Director of Research and Development at Metabase Q. He is also an integral member of the Ocelot Offensive Security Team. His area of expertise lies in the intricate world of the tokenization process, payment systems, and the development of embedded prototypes. With a commendable history of presenting at high-profile security conferences including Black Hat, DEF CON, Hack in the Box, and Troopers, Salvador brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to our discussion. Furthermore, he is the author of the insightful book, "Show me the e-money. Hacking digital payment systems: NFC, RFID, MST and EMV Chips," where he delves into the vulnerabilities and security measures of digital payment technologies.You can find his book for purchase here.And you can find the PCI spec here.You can follow Salvaador on Twitter/X here.