Category: Podcast

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On to the show.

Here are the links for this week’s episode:

• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/spikes-in-malicious-activity-precede-new-cves-in-80-percent-of-cases/
• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-plant-4g-raspberry-pi-on-bank-network-in-failed-atm-heist/
• https://nerds.xyz/2025/07/ai-security-flaws-veracode-2025/
• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/tea-app-leak-worsens-with-second-database-exposing-user-chats/
• https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/research-llms-attacks-without-humans/754203/

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Want to support us? Want even MORE DefSec? Starting this week, we are providing more DefSec for our Patreon donors. Sign up to be a Patreon donor today: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

Links:

• https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/10/cisa_citrixbleed_kev/
• https://www.axios.com/2025/07/08/scattered-spider-cybercrime-hackers
• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/employee-gets-920-for-credentials-used-in-140-million-bank-heist/

Additional links for Patreon donors:

• https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/13/fake_it_worker_problem/
• https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/09/chatgpt_jailbreak_windows_keys/

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Want to support us?  Want even MORE DefSec?  Starting this week, we are providing more DefSec for our Patreon donors.  Sign up to be a Patreon donor today: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

Links:

• https://www.csoonline.com/article/4012801/the-top-red-teamer-in-the-us-is-an-ai-bot.html
• https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint-security/attackers-top-brands-callback-phishing
• https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/initial-access-broker-self-patches-zero-days
• https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/ransomware-reshaped-how-cyber-insurers-perform-security-assessments
• https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint-security/phishing-training-doesnt-work

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Like what we’re doing with the DefSec Podcast and want to help support us? Donate here: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

Links: 

https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/chatgpt_for_evil/
https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/ransomware_negotiation/
https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/how-to-approach-security-era-ai-agents
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/coinbase-breach-tied-to-bribed-taskus-support-agents-in-india/
https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/04/kiranapro_cyberattack_deletes_cloud_resources/ / https://x.com/deepakravindran/status/1930776943101894869

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In this episode of the Defensive Security Podcast, hosts Jerry Bell and Andrew Kalat discuss various cybersecurity topics, including a significant data breach at Coinbase, the challenges of cryptocurrency security, the importance of patch management, and the evolving landscape of cyber threats. They also discuss insider threats, the failures of rigid security programs, and the overlooked cybersecurity risks in mergers and acquisitions. The episode concludes with a discussion on emerging threats, particularly the potential for ransomware to infect CPUs.

Like what we’re doing and want to help support us? Donate here: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

Links:
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/05/21/coinbase_confirms_insider_breach_affects/
https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/14/improve_patching_strategies/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ransomware-gangs-increasingly-use-skitnet-post-exploitation-malware/
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/rigid-security-programs-fail
https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/hidden-cybersecurity-risks-mergers-acquisitions
https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/11/cpu_ransomware_rapid7/

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In this episode of the Defensive Security Podcast, hosts Jerry Bell and Andrew Kalat discuss the latest trends in cybersecurity, focusing on the rise of BEC scams and the significant losses attributed to cybercrime in 2024. They explore emerging threats, including social engineering tactics and hardware vulnerabilities, particularly in management interfaces. The conversation also delves into the complexities of vulnerability management, the risks associated with supply chain attacks in open source software, and the alarming rate at which CVEs are being exploited. The hosts emphasize the need for organizations to be proactive in their security measures and to understand the evolving landscape of cyber threats.

Links:

• https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/fbi-internet-crime-bec-scams-investment-fraud-losses/746181/
• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/asus-releases-fix-for-ami-bug-that-lets-hackers-brick-servers/
• https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/21/microsoft_apple_patch/
• https://thehackernews.com/2025/04/ripples-xrpljs-npm-package-backdoored.html
• https://thehackernews.com/2025/04/159-cves-exploited-in-q1-2025-283.html

Like what we’re doing and want to help support us? Donate here: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

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Summary

In this episode, we celebrate the 300th episode of the Defensive Security Podcast then discuss various cybersecurity topics including the rise of AI-driven threats, the importance of zero trust architecture, best practices for incident response, the impact of human error on security breaches, and the risks associated with collaboration tools. We also cover the dangers of malvertising campaigns exploiting platforms like GitHub.

Like what we’re doing and want to help support us? Donate here: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

Links:

• https://venturebeat.com/security/51-seconds-to-breach-how-cisos-are-fighting-back-against-lightning-fast-attacks/
• https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/10/incident_response_advice/
• https://www.scworld.com/news/95-of-data-breaches-involve-human-error-report-reveals
• https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/remote-access-infra-remains-riskiest-corp-attack-surface
• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-says-malvertising-campaign-impacted-1-million-pcs/

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Summary

In this episode of the Defensive Security Podcast, hosts Jerry Bell and Andrew Kalat discuss various cybersecurity topics, including a Disney employee’s mishap with an AI tool that led to a significant hack, vulnerabilities in VMware ESX hypervisors, and a developer’s sabotage of their ex-employer. They also explore the implications of GitHub repository exposure and the growing risks associated with third-party vendors in cybersecurity.

Link to support Andy and Jerry’s work creating the Defensive Security Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/defensivesec

Story links:

• https://www.wsj.com/tech/cybersecurity/disney-employee-ai-tool-hacker-cyberattack-3700c931
• https://doublepulsar.com/use-one-virtual-machine-to-own-them-all-active-exploitation-of-esxicape-0091ccc5bdfc
• https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/08/developer_server_kill_switch/
• https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/02/copilot-exposes-private-github-pages-some-removed-by-microsoft/
• https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/third-party-risk-top-cybersecurity-claims

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In this episode of the Defensive Security Podcast, hosts Jerry Bell and Andrew Kalat discuss various cybersecurity topics, including the alarming statistics surrounding ransomware attacks, the implications of paying ransoms, and the evolving nature of ransomware as a broader category of cyber threats. They also discuss the consolidation of security tools and the skepticism surrounding it, particularly in light of a recent report by Palo Alto and IBM. The conversation shifts to the risks associated with AI, highlighted by the DeepSeek incident, and concludes with a discussion on the importance of securing management interfaces and the ongoing challenges in the cybersecurity landscape.

Links:

• https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-victims-shut-operations/
• https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/consolidation-security-tools/738912/
• https://9to5mac.com/2025/01/31/security-bite-top-macos-threat-found-riding-the-deepseek-wave/
• https://www.securityweek.com/sonicwall-confirms-exploitation-of-new-sma-zero-day/
• https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/30/deepseek_database_left_open/

Takeaways

• 58% of ransomware victims had to shut down operations temporarily.
• Only 13% of victims who paid ransom got all their data back.
• The ransomware ecosystem relies on the belief that victims will recover their data.
• Organizations average 83 different security tools, leading to inefficiencies.
• Speed in deploying AI can compromise security practices.
• DeepSeek incident highlights risks of using unverified AI models.
• SonicWall’s zero-day vulnerability emphasizes the need for secure management practices.
• Security tool consolidation may not always lead to better outcomes.
• Phishing and RDP compromises are common entry points for ransomware.
• The evolving nature of ransomware requires a broader understanding of cyber threats.