Episodes

  • A Digital Eye on supply-chain-based espionage attacks.

    A Digital Eye on supply-chain-based espionage attacks.
    Feb 1 2025
    This week, Dave Bittner is joined by Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade (JAGS) from SentinelOne's SentinelLabs to discuss the work his team and Tinexta Cyber did on "Operation Digital Eye | Chinese APT Compromises Critical Digital Infrastructure via Visual Studio Code Tunnels." Tinexta Cyber and SentinelLabs have been tracking threat activities targeting business-to-business IT service providers in Southern Europe. Based on the malware, infrastructure, techniques used, victimology, and the timing of the activities, we assess that it is highly likely these attacks were conducted by a China-nexus threat actor with cyberespionage motivations. The relationships between European countries and China are complex, characterized by cooperation, competition, and underlying tensions in areas such as trade, investment, and technology. Suspected China-linked cyberespionage groups frequently target public and private organizations across Europe to gather strategic intelligence, gain competitive advantages, and advance geopolitical, economic, and technological interests. The research can be found here: Operation Digital Eye | Chinese APT Compromises Critical Digital Infrastructure via Visual Studio Code Tunnels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • LightSpy's dark evolution.

    LightSpy's dark evolution.
    Jan 25 2025
    This week, we are joined by Ismael Valenzuela, VP of Threat Research & Intelligence, and Jacob Faires, Principal Threat Researcher, from Blackberry discussing the team's work on "LightSpy: APT41 Deploys Advanced DeepData Framework In Targeted Southern Asia Espionage Campaign." In April 2024, BlackBerry uncovered a significant evolution of the LightSpy malware campaign, attributed to Chinese cyber-espionage group APT41. The newly introduced DeepData framework, a modular Windows-based surveillance tool, expands data theft capabilities with 12 specialized plugins for tasks like communication surveillance, credential theft, and system intelligence gathering. The campaign targets a wide range of communication platforms, including WhatsApp, Signal, and WeChat, with advanced techniques for monitoring and stealing sensitive information from victims across the Asia-Pacific region. The research can be found here: LightSpy: APT41 Deploys Advanced DeepData Framework In Targeted Southern Asia Espionage Campaign Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • A cute cover for a dangerous vulnerability.

    A cute cover for a dangerous vulnerability.
    Jan 18 2025
    Nati Tal, Head of Guardio Labs, sits down to share their work on “CrossBarking” — Exploiting a 0-Day Opera Vulnerability with a Cross-Browser Extension Store Attack. Guardio Labs has uncovered a critical vulnerability in the Opera browser, enabling malicious extensions to exploit Private APIs for actions like screen capturing, browser setting changes, and account hijacking. Highlighting the ease of bypassing extension store security, researchers demonstrated how a puppy-themed extension exploiting this flaw could infiltrate both Chrome and Opera's extension stores, potentially reaching millions of users. This case underscores the delicate balance between enhancing browser productivity and ensuring robust security measures, revealing the alarming tactics modern threat actors employ to exploit trusted platforms. The research can be found here: “CrossBarking” — Exploiting a 0-Day Opera Vulnerability with a Cross-Browser Extension Store Attack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 mins
  • The hidden cost of data hoarding.

    The hidden cost of data hoarding.
    Jan 11 2025
    This week, we are joined by Kyla Cardona and Aurora Johnson from SpyCloud discussing their research "China’s Surveillance State Is Selling Citizen Data as a Side Hustle." Chinese technology companies, under CCP mandate, collect vast amounts of data on citizens, creating opportunities for corrupt insiders to steal and resell this information on dark markets. These stolen datasets, aggregated into "Social Work Libraries" (SGKs), mirror lower-tech versions of CCP internal security databases. Kyla and Aurora discuss how Chinese cybercriminals use these SGKs and their implications compared to Western, European, and Russian cybercrime ecosystems. With expertise in Chinese OSINT and cybersecurity policy, both researchers bring deep insights into the geopolitical and technical dynamics of China's digital landscape. The research can be found here: “Pantsless Data”: Decoding Chinese Cybercrime TTPs A Deep Dive Into the Intricate Chinese Cybercrime Ecosystem China’s Surveillance State Is Selling Citizen Data as a Side Hustle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • Crypto client or cyber trap?

    Crypto client or cyber trap?
    Jan 4 2025
    Karlo Zanki, Reverse Engineer at ReversingLabs, discussing their work on "Malicious PyPI crypto pay package aiocpa implants infostealer code." ReversingLabs' machine learning-based threat hunting system identified a malicious PyPI package, aiocpa, designed to exfiltrate cryptocurrency wallet information. Unlike typical attacks involving typosquatting, the attackers published a seemingly legitimate crypto client tool to build trust before introducing malicious updates. ReversingLabs used its Spectra Assure platform to detect behavioral anomalies and worked with PyPI to remove the package, highlighting the growing need for advanced supply chain security tools to counter increasingly sophisticated threats. The research can be found here: Malicious PyPI crypto pay package aiocpa implants infostealer code Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • On the prowl for mobile malware.

    On the prowl for mobile malware.
    Dec 28 2024
    This week, we are joined by Asheer Malhotra and Vitor Ventura from Cisco Talos, and they are discussing "Operation Celestial Force employs mobile and desktop malware to target Indian entities." Cisco Talos revealed Operation Celestial Force, an espionage campaign by the Pakistani threat group "Cosmic Leopard," targeting Indian defense, government, and technology sectors. Active for at least six years, the operation has recently increased its use of mobile malware and commercial spyware for surveillance. The research can be found here: Operation Celestial Force employs mobile and desktop malware to target Indian entities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Quishing for trouble.

    Quishing for trouble.
    Dec 21 2024
    Adam Khan, VP of Security Operations at Barracuda, joins to discuss his team's work on "The evolving use of QR codes in phishing attacks." Cybercriminals are evolving phishing tactics by embedding QR codes, or “quishing,” into PDF documents attached to emails, tricking recipients into scanning them to access malicious websites that steal credentials. Barracuda researchers found over half a million such emails from June to September 2024, with most impersonating brands like Microsoft, DocuSign, and Adobe to exploit urgency and trust. To counter these attacks, businesses should deploy multilayered email security, use AI-powered detection tools, educate employees on QR code risks, and enable multifactor authentication to safeguard accounts. The research can be found here: Threat Spotlight: The evolving use of QR codes in phishing attacks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    17 mins
  • Watching the watchers. IoT vulnerabilities exposed by AI.

    Watching the watchers. IoT vulnerabilities exposed by AI.
    Dec 14 2024
    This week, we are joined by Andrew Morris, Founder and CTO of GreyNoise, to discuss their work on "GreyNoise Intelligence Discovers Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Live Streaming Cameras with the Help of AI." GreyNoise discovered two critical zero-day vulnerabilities in IoT-connected live streaming cameras, used in sensitive environments like healthcare and industrial operations, by leveraging its AI-powered detection system, Sift. The vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-8956 (insufficient authentication) and CVE-2024-8957 (OS command injection), could allow attackers to take full control of affected devices, manipulate video feeds, or integrate them into botnets for broader attacks. This breakthrough underscores the transformative role of AI in identifying threats that traditional systems might miss, highlighting the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures in the expanding IoT landscape. The research can be found here: GreyNoise Intelligence Discovers Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Live Streaming Cameras with the Help of AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 mins