CyberWire Daily

Andrew Northern, Principal Security Researcher at Censys who studies web-based malware, walks through multi-stage JavaScript injects and how compromised sites funnel victims through shared redirect chokepoints. He outlines a tracing method to map those chains. Topics include fake CAPTCHAs, reuse of script paths, blockchain-based hiding, and practical defender detection and mitigation steps.

Chris Neihuis, founder and CEO of Vigilant who helps people protect money, identity, and devices. He breaks down organizational blind spots and why marketing can mask weak defenses. He covers detection gaps as systems move to the cloud. He urges CEOs to ask vendors for realproof and prioritize U.S.-based providers.

In this informative discussion, Kaushik Devireddy, an AI data scientist at Fable Security, unpacks the complex world of cybersecurity threats. He dives into a devious fake ChatGPT installer designed to steal passwords and explains how it mimicked legitimate sites to trick users. Kaushik also highlights the advanced malware tactics used, such as base64-encoded payloads and disguised command prompts. His insights on user password habits reveal alarming trends in security hygiene. This episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned about online safety!

Ashley Jess, a Senior Intelligence Analyst at Intel 471, specializes in cybercrime and underground markets. In this conversation, she reveals how online illicit marketplaces centralize the sale of stolen information and the evolution towards specialized operations due to law enforcement pressure. Jess highlights the importance of reputation in these anonymous spaces and forecasts a rise in automation and credential crime. She also discusses practical defenses and emphasizes the unexpected role of auditors in enhancing cyber resilience.

Tim Starks, a Senior Reporter at CyberScoop, dives into crucial cybersecurity issues. He discusses the manhunt for the Black Basta ransomware group and a new UK initiative to combat fraud. The conversation highlights an alarming LinkedIn phishing campaign using malicious tools and a data breach affecting over 42,000 people at Ingram Micro. Tim also explains the surprises and challenges surrounding Sean Plankey's renomination to lead CISA, underscoring the complex political landscape impacting his confirmation.

In this discussion, Larry Whiteside Jr., Chief Advisory Officer for The CISO Society and a veteran cybersecurity leader, dives into the debate over whether cybersecurity is a trade or a profession. He explores the importance of professional standards and training to bridge current gaps in the field. The conversation touches on the evolving role of CISOs, the necessity of better hiring practices, and the critical skills needed for future cybersecurity leaders. Larry advocates for fostering a skilled pipeline to elevate the industry and its professionals.

While our team is away from the mic observing the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in the United States, we share this thoughtful discussion from our T-Minus Space Daily team. Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) is the practice of intercepting and analyzing electronic signals, like phone calls, emails, radar, and telemetry, to gather actionable intelligence for national security, defense, and military operations. It’s primarily conducted by agencies like NSA, but over the last decade many companies in the commercial sector have grown in this vital area of national defense, especially in space. Our guest is Dave DeWalt, CEO of NightDragon, who shared why his firm is investing in tech and space. Dave joins T-Minus Space Daily host Maria Varmazis for this special edition podcast. You can connect with Dave on LinkedIn, and learn more about NightDragon on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Snehal Antani, co-founder and CEO of Horizon3.ai and former DoD CIO/CTO, dives deep into the world of autonomous penetration testing. He discusses the critical need for continuous testing over traditional vulnerability scans, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing actionable security insights. Antani reveals alarming findings, like how one misconfigured EDR can lead to domain compromise across thousands of endpoints. He also shares his vision of AI hackers augmenting human efforts, predicting a future where AI enhances security resilience.

Deepen Desai, the Global Chief Information Security Officer at Zscaler, shares his fascinating journey from a family of doctors to combating digital threats. He discusses his early encounters with game-cheating apps that sparked his interest in OS security. Deepen emphasizes his role as a mentor, reflecting on the success of his past teams. He draws a compelling parallel between his work and a medical doctor treating viruses, while also giving aspiring professionals invaluable advice on mastering software fundamentals and balancing business tasks with research.

Ben Folland, a Security Operations Analyst at Huntress with expertise in malware campaigns, delves into the ClickFix campaign that cleverly uses steganography to bury malicious payloads in PNG images. He explains how fake human verification checks and a convincing Windows Update screen lure users into executing harmful commands. The discussion highlights the technical intricacies of multi-stage attacks and the functions of infostealers like LummaC2 and Rhadamanthys, while emphasizing the critical need for user awareness and defensive practices.