CyberWire Daily

Latest Episodes:

Peter Baumann: Adding value to data. [CEO] [Career Notes] Mar 09, 2025

Show notes

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes.

CEO of ActiveNav, Peter Baumann, takes us on his career journey from minor home electrical experiments to the business of data discovery. He began his career as an electrical engineer, but felt an entrepreneurial spirit was part of his makeup. Following his return to college to study business and finance, Peter talks about being set on the path to shine the light on the data to provide discovery capability. To those interested in the field, he suggests having a broad familiarity of different approaches. We thank Peter for sharing his story with us.

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Botnet’s back, tell a friend. [Research Saturday] Mar 08, 2025

Show notes

This week we are joined by Silas Cutler, Principal Security Researcher at Censys, asking the important question of "Will the Real Volt Typhoon Please Stand Up?" The FBI's disruption of the KV Botnet in December 2023, attributed to the Chinese threat group Volt Typhoon, targeted infected systems but did not affect the botnet's control infrastructure.

Despite law enforcement efforts and technical exposure, the botnet's infrastructure has remained largely stable, with only changes in hosting providers, raising questions about whether another party operates the botnet. Censys scanning data from 2024 shows a shift in the botnet's control servers, indicating a response to disruption attempts, while the botnet's operators have shown limited efforts to obscure their infrastructure.

The research can be found here:

Will the Real Volt Typhoon Please Stand Up?

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The end of the line for Garantex. Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Law enforcement shutters Garantex crypto exchange. NTT discloses breach affecting corporate customers. Malvertising campaign hits nearly a million devices. AI’s role in Canada’s next election. Scammers target Singapore’s PM in AI fraud. Botnets exploit critical IP camera vulnerability. In our International Women's Day and Women’s History Month special, join Liz Stokes as she shares the inspiring stories of women shaping the future of cybersecurity. And how did Insider threats turn a glitch into a goldmine?

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CyberWire Guest

In this special International Women’s Day edition, we shine a spotlight on the incredible women in and around our network who are shaping the future of cybersecurity. Join Liz Stokes as we celebrate Selena Larson, Threat Researcher at Proofpoint, and co-host of Only Malware in the Building, Gianna Whitver, CEO & Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and co-host of the Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing podcast, Maria Velasquez, Chief Growth Officer & Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and co-host of the Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing podcast, Chris Hare, Project Management Specialist and Content Developer at N2K Networks, and host of CertByte, Ann Lang, Project Manager at N2K Networks, Jennifer Eiben, Executive Producer at N2K Networks, and Maria Varmazis, host of the T-Minus Space Daily show at N2K Networks for their achievements, resilience, and the invaluable contributions they make to keeping our digital world secure.

Selected Reading

Russian crypto exchange Garantex’s website taken down in apparent law enforcement operation (The Record)

Data breach at Japanese telecom giant NTT hits 18,000 companies (BleepingComputer)

Malvertising campaign leads to info stealers hosted on GitHub (Microsoft)

Canadian intelligence agency warns of threat AI poses to upcoming elections (The Record)

Deepfakes of Singapore PM Used to Sell Crypto, Residency Program (Bloomberg)

Edimax Camera Zero-Day Disclosed by CISA Exploited by Botnets (SecurityWeek)

Magecart: How Akamai Protected a Global Retailer Against a Live Attack (Akamai)

Cybercrime 'crew' stole $635,000 in Taylor Swift concert tickets (BleepingComputer)

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From China with love (and Malware). Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

US Justice Department charges employees of Chinese IT contractor i-Soon. Silk Typhoon targets the IT supply chain for initial access. Chrome extensions that change shape. Attackers target airflow misconfigurations. LibreOffice vulnerability opens the door to script-based attacks. NSO group leaders face charges in spyware case. Today, our own Dave Bittner is our guest as he appeared on the Adopting Zero Trust podcast at ThreatLocker’s Zero Trust World 2025 event with hosts Elliot Volkman and Neal Dennis and guest Dr. Chase Cunningham. And turning $1B into thin air.

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CyberWire Guest

Today, our own Dave Bittner is in our guest spot as he appeared on the Adopting Zero Trust podcast at ThreatLocker’s Zero Trust World 2025 event with hosts Elliot Volkman and Neal Dennis and guest Dr. Chase Cunningham aka Dr. Zero Trust. Adopting Zero Trust is an ongoing conversation about the people and organizations adopting Zero Trust. You can catch the full episode here where Dave and Dr. Zero Trust weigh the difference between delivering refined news and raw perspective, hitting critical mass for AI, and the current political environment.

Selected Reading

US charges Chinese nationals in cyberattacks on Treasury, dissidents and more (The Record)

Silk Typhoon targeting IT supply chain (Microsoft)

Malicious Chrome extensions can spoof password managers in new attack (Bleeping Computer)

Apache Airflow Misconfigurations Leak Login Credentials to Hackers (GB Hackers)

LibreOffice Flaw Allows Attackers to Run Arbitrary Scripts via Macro URL (GB Hackers)

Exploited VMware ESXi Flaws Put Many at Risk of Ransomware, Other Attacks (SecurityWeek)

Catalan court says NSO Group executives can be charged in spyware investigation (TechCrunch)

Former top NSA cyber official: Probationary firings ‘devastating’ to cyber, national security (CyberScoop)

Financial Organizations Urge CISA to Revise Proposed CIRCIA Implementation (SecurityWeek)

North Koreans finish initial laundering stage after more than $1 billion stolen from Bybit (The Record)

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US Treasury targets darknet kingpin. Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

US Treasury Department sanctions Iranian national accused of running the Nemesis criminal marketplace. Hunters International threatens to leak data stolen from Tata Technologies. Apple challenges U.K.’s iCloud encryption backdoor order. UK competition regulator says no investigation into Microsoft's OpenAI partnership. Stealthy malware campaign targets the UAE's aviation and satellite industry. This week on our CertByte segment, N2K’s Chris Hare is joined by Troy McMillan to break down a question targeting the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam. And hackers hit the books.

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CertByte Segment

Welcome to CertByte! On this bi-weekly segment hosted by Chris Hare, a content developer and project management specialist at N2K. This week, Chris is joined by Troy McMillan to break down a question targeting the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam, 201-301, version 1.1 exam. Today’s question comes from N2K’s Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA 200-301) Practice Test.

According to Cisco, the CCNA is the industry’s most widely recognized and respected associate-level certification. To learn more about this and other related topics under this objective, please refer to the following resource: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/article/protection-techniques-nbsp-from-wardriving-attack

To get the full news to knowledge experience, learn more about our N2K Pro subscription at https://thecyberwire.com/pro.

Please note: The questions and answers provided here, and on our site, are not actual current or prior questions and answers from these certification publishers or providers.

Additional source: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/enterprise/ccna/index.html

Selected Reading

Treasury sanctions Iranian national behind defunct Nemesis darknet marketplace (The Record)

Ransomware Group Claims Attack on Tata Technologies (SecurityWeek)

Apple is challenging U.K.’s iCloud encryption backdoor order (TechCrunch)

UK's competition regulator says Microsoft's OpenAI partnership doesn't qualify for investigation (TechCrunch)

Call It What You Want: Threat Actor Delivers Highly Targeted Multistage Polyglot Malware (Proofpoint)

Snail Mail Fail: Fake Ransom Note Campaign Preys on Fear (GuidePoint Security)

Fake police call cryptocurrency investors to steal their funds (Bitdefender)

Microsoft Teams tactics, malware connect Black Basta, Cactus ransomware (Bleeping Computer)

Investigator says differing names for hacker groups, hackers studying investigative methods hinders law enforcement (CyberScoop)

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CISA keeps watch on Russia. Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

CISA says it will continue monitoring Russian cyber threats. Broadcom patches zero-days that can lead to VM escape. Google patches 43 Bugs, including two sneaky zero-days. CISA flags vulnerabilities exploited in the wild. Palau's health ministry recovers from ransomware attack. Lost and found or lost and leaked? On this week's Threat Vector segment, David Moulton previews an episode with Hollie Hennessy on IoT cybersecurity risk mitigation and next week’s special International Women's Day episode featuring trailblazing women from Palo Alto Networks sharing their cybersecurity journeys and leadership insights. And is that really you?

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Threat Vector Segment

On our Threat Vector Segment, host David Moulton shares previews of two upcoming episodes. On this Thursday’s episode, he speaks with Hollie Hennessy, Principal Analyst for IoT Cybersecurity at Omdia, to discuss how attackers exploit vulnerabilities in connected environments and the best approaches for risk mitigation.

The next week On Thursday, March 13th, David shares four conversations with some of the trailblazing women at Palo Alto Networks in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. They share their journeys into cybersecurity, discuss the challenges they faced and offer insights on leadership, innovation, and mentorship. Be sure to tune in for some inspiring stories.

Don't miss the full episodes every Threat Vector Thursday, subscribe now to stay ahead. If you're in Austin, Texas for SXSW and want to meet up, email David at threatvector@Paloaltonetworks.com.

Selected Reading

DHS says CISA won’t stop looking at Russian cyber threats (CyberScoop)

Did Trump Admin Order U.S. Cyber Command and CISA to Stand Down on Russia? (Zero Day)

Broadcom Patches 3 VMware Zero-Days Exploited in the Wild (SecurityWeek)

Google fixes Android zero-day exploited by Serbian authorities (Bleeping Computer)

Several flaws added to CISA known exploited vulnerabilities catalog (SC Media)

Palau health ministry on the mend after Qilin ransomware attack (The Record)

Lost luggage data leak exposes nearly a million records (Cybernews)

Lee Enterprises ransomware attack halts freelance and contractor payments (TechCrunch)

TikTok Blasts Australia for YouTube Carveout in Social Media Ban (Bloomberg)

Deepfake cyberattacks proliferated in 2024, iProov claims (The Register)

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Is it cyber peace or just a buffer? Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

Cyber Command ordered to halt offensive operations against Russia during Ukraine negotiations. Ransomware actors exploit Paragon Partition Manager vulnerability. Amnesty International publishes analysis of Cellebrite exploit chain. California orders data broker to shut down for violating the Delete Act. On our Afternoon Cyber Tea segment with host Ann Johnson of Microsoft Security, Ann speaks with Igor Tsyganskiy, Microsoft's Global Chief Information Security Officer, about "The Power of Partnership in Cyber Defense." And it’s the end of an era.

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Afternoon Cyber Tea segment.

On our monthly Afternoon Cyber Tea segment with host Ann Johnson of Microsoft Security, Ann speaks with Igor Tsyganskiy, Microsoft's Global Chief Information Security Officer, about "The Power of Partnership in Cyber Defense." Ann and Igor share an engaging conversation on the challenges and optimism driving the fight against cyber threats. To hear the full conversation on Ann’s show, check out the episode here. You can catch new episodes of Afternoon Cyber Tea every other Tuesday on N2K CyberWire network and on your favorite podcast app.

Selected Reading

Exclusive: Hegseth orders Cyber Command to stand down on Russia planning (The Record)

As Trump warms to Putin, U.S. halts offensive cyber operations against Moscow (The Washington Post)

Hegseth Orders Pentagon to Stop Offensive Cyberoperations Against Russia (The New York Times)

Ransomware gangs exploit Paragon Partition Manager bug in BYOVD attacks (Bleeping Computer)

VU#726882 - Paragon Partition Manager contains five memory vulnerabilities within its BioNTdrv.sys driver that allow for privilege escalation and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks (Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute CERT Coordination Center)

Cellebrite zero-day exploit used to target phone of Serbian student activist (Amnesty International Security Lab)

California shuts down data broker for failing to register (The Record)

Research finds 12,000 ‘Live’ API Keys and Passwords in DeepSeek's Training Data (Truffle Security)

Cyberattack detected at Polish space agency, minister says (Reuters)

Polish space agency confirms cyberattack (The Register)

As Skype shuts down, its legacy is end-to-end encryption for the masses (TechCrunch)

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Taree Reardon: A voice for women in cyber. [Career Notes] Mar 02, 2025

Show notes

Senior Threat Analyst and Shift Lead for VMware Taree Reardon shares her journey to becoming leader for women in the cybersecurity field. A big gamer who has always been interested in hacking and forensics, Taree found her passion while learning about cybersecurity. She's dedicated to diversity and inclusion and found her footing on a team made up of 50% women. Taree spends her days tracking and blocking attacks and as a champion for women. Trusting yourself is top on her list of advice. We thank Taree for sharing her story.

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Caught in the contagious interview. [Research Saturday] Mar 01, 2025

Show notes

This week we are joined by Phil Stokes, threat researcher at SentinelOne's SentinelLabs, discussing their work on "macOS FlexibleFerret | Further Variants of DPRK Malware Family Unearthed." Apple recently pushed an update to its XProtect tool, blocking several variants of the DPRK-linked Ferret malware family, which targets victims through the "Contagious Interview" campaign.

The malware uses fake job interview processes to trick users into installing malicious software, and new variants, including FlexibleFerret, remain undetected by XProtect. SentinelOne's research reveals a deeper investigation into this malware, which uses social engineering to expand its attack vectors, including targeting developers through platforms like GitHub.

The research can be found here:

macOS FlexibleFerret | Further Variants of DPRK Malware Family Unearthed

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Pay the ransom or risk data carnage. Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Qilin ransomware gang claims responsibility for attack against Lee Enterprises. Thai police arrest suspected hacker behind more than 90 data leaks. JavaGhost uses compromised AWS environments to launch phishing campaigns. LotusBlossum cyberespionage campaigns target Southeast Asia. Malware abuses Microsoft dev tunnels for C2 communication. Protecting the food supply. Today’s guest is Keith Mularski, Chief Global Ambassador at Qintel and former FBI Special Agent, discussing crypto being the target of the cyber underground. And an interview with Iron Man?

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CyberWire Guest

Today we share Dave’s conversation with Keith Mularski, Chief Global Ambassador at Qintel and former FBI Special Agent, discussing crypto being the target of the cyber underground.

Selected Reading

Ransomware Group Takes Credit for Lee Enterprises Attack (SecurityWeek)

Hacker Behind Over 90 Data Leaks Arrested in Thailand (SecurityWeek)

JavaGhost’s Persistent Phishing Attacks From the Cloud (Unit 42)

Lotus Blossom espionage group targets multiple industries with different versions of Sagerunex and hacking tools (Cisco Talos)

Njrat Campaign Using Microsoft Dev Tunnels (SANS Internet Storm Center)

New Pass-the-Cookie Attack Bypass Microsoft 365 & YouTube MFA Logins (Cyber Security News)

How pass the cookie attacks can bypass your MFA (Longwall Security)

Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act reintroduced to protect food supply chain from cyber threats (Industrial Cyber)

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