Defensive Security Podcast - Malware, Hacking, Cyber Security & Infosec Defensive Security Podcast Episode 338
9 snips
Feb 2, 2026 Forgotten vulnerable web apps left in major clouds and the billing risks from hidden crypto miners. The challenge of tracing ephemeral cloud assets and the ethics of third‑party fixes. A huge leaked‑password analysis and why legacy logins need tighter controls. Criminals using AI for deepfakes, synthetic IDs, and malware creation that lowers the barrier for advanced attacks.
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Mind Your Cloud Test Assets
- Monitor and inventory cloud assets continuously to avoid forgotten, vulnerable test apps running in production.
- Limit IAM privileges for test systems and remove credentials from intentionally vulnerable apps immediately.
Crypto Miners As Smokescreens
- Crypto miners are a common visible sign of cloud compromise but can mask deeper intrusions and repeated compromises.
- Attackers often use noisy miners as a smokescreen while more advanced actors pursue lateral movement and data access.
Enforce Cloud Inventory And Ownership
- Use cloud-native inventory and visibility tools and enforce ownership tagging so you can quickly identify exposed assets.
- Require someone to care: assign responsibility and automate scans to catch abandoned apps like WordPress with vulnerable plugins.