In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are joined by special guest Robert Dougherty of Defence Connect to talk about a Ukrainian hacking operation, ransomware attacks on Australian companies surge after a quiet spot, and a popular hacking forum returns.

• Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with Dougherty as they discuss an offer from Ukraine to assist the Australian Defence Force with integrating AI into combat operations, the uses of AI on the battlefield, and a daring Ukrainian cyber operation that targeted one of Russia’s most important builders of military aircraft.
• Cyber Daily’s two journalists then catch up on a busy week for Australian companies trying – and failing – to protect themselves from ransomware attacks. As it turns out, the quiet period talked about in the last episode was just a blip. The hacks, sadly, are back, and they continue to be disruptive, as Fire Rescue Victoria is continuing to learn following a 2022 cyber attack.
• Finally, the pair wrap up the podcast with news of BreachForum’s resurrection, and a welcome move from two IT security giants to clean up the realm of threat actor attribution. Names matter!

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the latest from Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in India-Pakistan, and how diaspora groups are expanding conflict beyond country borders.

• They begin the podcast discussing Australian schoolteacher Oscar Jenkins, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison by Russia.
• The trio then discuss the India-Pakistan conflict, and how it has drawn in regional powers and diaspora groups.
• They wrap up unpacking a European-Australian defence pact, and whether it will be sufficient to support Australian stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about Meta moving to use user data to train its AI, cyber attacks on local legal firms and boards, and new regulations requiring mandatory reporting of ransomware payments.

• Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with the news that a German data watchdog has been unable to stop Meta from using user data to train its new AI model. As they say, if the product is free, the product is you – and your Facebook posts.
• The pair then discuss the latest cyber attacks targeting Australian organisations, with both a Queensland law firm and the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia falling victim to ransomware attacks, as well as The Salvation Army getting listed on a darknet leak site. Hollingworth and Croft also discuss how attacks seem to have slowed down in the last month. Is it a trend or just a blip?
• Finally, the two wrap up the podcast with a discussion on a new Australian law coming into effect requiring organisations to report paying a ransom and its possible impact on the ransomware economy.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Thomas Fikentscher, CyberArk’s head of ANZ operations, to explore the company’s international business, cyber security trends, the importance of privileged access, and the importance of taking cyber security seriously.

• Garman and Fikentscher begin with a discussion on CyberArk’s international operations and recent trends regarding how businesses are looking at their networks and what’s essential to keep their operations running smoothly.
• The pair then discuss the importance of understanding and implementing privileged access to data and how that can keep critical infrastructure secure. Fikentscher talks about the recent blackouts in Spain and the challenges of introducing AI agents into workflows.
• Fikentscher discusses why modern privileged access management (PAM) must extend beyond traditional admin controls as organisations scale across cloud and AI environments. He explains it now needs to secure both human and machine identities, manage ephemeral access and integrate seamlessly into DevOps workflows.
• Finally, he emphasises the importance of a ‘security by design’ approach - embedding security into the architecture of systems and processes from the start to strengthen resilience and compliance, but also to help prevent security lapses that can disrupt business operations and impact bottom lines.

Enjoy the episode,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft have a chat about everything, from the NSW government’s new drive to use AI to solve the housing crisis to deepfake takedowns, who may or may not be behind the hacking campaign targeting big-name UK retailers (still!), security issues at the Australian Taxation Office, and the relaunch of HaveIBeenPwned.

• Hollingworth and Croft start off with positive AI-related news, starting with the Trump administration’s decision to enact new laws regarding deepfake and revenge porn, before swivelling to the NSW state government’s plan to use AI to help address a housing construction backlog and grow the workforce.
• Then it’s straight into cyber crime, with more twists and turns from the highly disruptive hacking campaign targeting UK retailers. The pair discuss why one chain is leaking money like a sieve as it tries to rebuild, and why another is getting back on its feet. It’s a lesson everyone can learn from. Hollingworth and Croft wrap up this section of the podcast with a discussion of the ATO’s issues with identity theft following revelations that hackers had compromised some individual accounts and stolen funds.
• The pair wrap things up with news of one of their favourite research tools – HaveIBeenPwned – launching a V2 of its website, and how useful it is for average consumers and researchers alike.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Lee Shelford, sales engineering manager and cloud lead at Genetec, to explore how the company uses cutting-edge technology to help law enforcement agencies combat crime and build safer communities.

• The conversation begins with Genetec’s recent success in completing its IRAP assessment – a critical milestone in demonstrating the company’s commitment to cyber security and data protection. From there, Shelford shares how Genetec is working alongside some of the world’s leading law enforcement organisations to develop next-generation security solutions.
• Shelford dives into Genetec Cloudrunner, a powerful tool that enables law enforcement to track vehicles across vast distances – significantly aiding investigations and contributing to a reduction in criminal activity.
• The discussion then shifts to the Genetec Community Connect Program, which brings together a network of CCTV systems from various partners to provide real-time, integrated surveillance feeds to police and emergency services.
• Finally, Shelford explains how Genetec ensures the security and integrity of these systems, maintaining strong protections across all connected networks.

Enjoy the episode,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft get into a deep ethical discussion after an AI-generated deepfake of a murder victim, untangle the deeply confusing saga of the DragonForce ransomware gang’s latest evolution, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) breaches itself, and the insane back and forth between the People’s Republic of China and the CIA.

• Hollingworth and Croft begin with a robust discussion about a new AI development – using the technology to generate a deepfake video of a murder victim to be played in a US court as a victim impact statement. It’s a complex issue, and the pair try to find common ground – but they agree it’s a complex issue.
• The pair then get into the weeds, sorting out the truth regarding the DragonForce ransomware-as-a-service operation, which may or may not be taking over the RansomHub gang. Or maybe the gang is joining DragonForce? It’s all very confusing, and Hollingworth and
• Croft do their best to get to the bottom of a very confusing situation. They also discuss more details that have emerged from behind the scenes of the LockBit gang, and an accidental data breach at the Australian Human Rights Commission.
• Things get wrapped up with the CIA’s bizarre move to recruit Chinese spies, and the rather interesting response of some very dedicated and upset Chinese netizens. It’s spycraft in the 21st century, but not as you know it.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Tim Knight, author of the recently released book Gallipoli Soup, to discuss the Gallipoli campaign and how Knight used narrative to bring to life the challenges faced by both Australian and Turkish soldiers in World War I.

• The pair begin the podcast unpacking Knight’s research methodology, and how a passion for understanding led him to write Gallipoli Soup.
• They discuss how the book was written in a narrative format, with some fictional characters based heavily on memoirs and diary entries from soldiers, to shine a light on the conditions in Gallipoli.
• Knight shares some of his key lessons of the campaign, including the geopolitical and political events that led to Gallipoli.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team