Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast

Latest Episodes:

PHP2Shell: What’s Real, What’s Noise, and What Actions to Take Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Elliot Volkman is joined by Carly Sherrod of Microsoft’s Detection and Response Team (DART) and Spencer McIntyre, Director of Exploit Development at VulnCheck to break down the critical PHP2Shell vulnerabilities. They explore how the exploits work, the reality behind reports of widespread attacks, and how AI is accelerating exploit development. The conversation also covers what security teams should look for, how to assess potential exposure, and why patching alone may not be enough to protect vulnerable systems.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How the critical PHP2Shell vulnerabilities work

Why patching alone isn’t enough to protect vulnerable systems

How AI is accelerating exploit development

Some questions we ask:

What is Microsoft DART seeing from an incident response perspective?

Which PHP configurations and deployments should be prioritized?

What should security teams do immediately to protect their organizations?

Resources:

View Spencer McIntyre on LinkedIn

View Carly Sherrod on LinkedIn

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

VulnCheck's research on PHP2Shell

MSRC's guidance on PHP2Shell

For customers: Recommended controls and actions

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

The Quantum Countdown: Why Certificate Testing Starts Now Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Elliot Volkman is joined by Microsoft's Karina Sirota to explore the challenges of transitioning to post-quantum cryptography. They discuss Microsoft's post-quantum certificate pilot, the importance of industry collaboration, and why preparing for quantum threats involves much more than replacing encryption algorithms. Karina also shares practical steps organizations can take today to identify cryptographic dependencies, evaluate vendor readiness, and build a foundation for a quantum-resistant future.

In this episode you’ll learn:

Why organizations need to prepare for post-quantum cryptography now

What Microsoft is testing through its post-quantum cryptography pilot

How to identify cryptographic dependencies and prepare your organization for quantum threats

Some questions we ask:

What are the biggest misconceptions about post-quantum cryptography?

Can one weak link compromise an entire cryptographic system?

Why is collaboration across the industry essential?

Resources:

View Karina Sirota on LinkedIn

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

The BlueHat Podcast

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

Inside this year’s Microsoft Digital Defense Report Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Elliot Volkman is joined by Chloe Messdaghi and Karen Frost for a behind-the-scenes look at Microsoft’s annual Digital Defense Report (MDDR). They explore how AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape by increasing the speed, scale, and automation of attacks while also giving defenders new tools to detect and respond to threats. The conversation covers AI agents, phishing and identity-based attacks, vulnerability management, security resilience, and the growing need for organizations to connect signals across their environments. Chloe and Karen also share practical priorities for CISOs and discuss what the rise of increasingly autonomous AI agents could mean for the future of cyber defense.

In this episode you’ll learn:

AI is accelerating the speed and scale of cyber threats

Identity protection and phishing-resistant MFA remain critical

Defenders need AI to manage growing security signals and threats

Some questions we ask:

How can we keep up with vulnerabilities and determine which patches to prioritize?

If you’re a CISO reading the report, what are the three biggest actions you should take?

What does the research and threat intelligence tell us about the changing risk landscape?

Resources:

Read the report

Access the shorter summary

View Chloe Messdaghi on LinkedIn

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

The BlueHat Podcast

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

From Identity Compromise to AI Defense: Inside Modern Incident Response Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

This week we are taking you back to Black Hat USA 2026 and exploring two sides of the security landscape.

First, Microsoft incident response experts Adrian Hill and Terry Mee break down identity-based attacks, from compromised credentials and MFA bypasses to containment, logging, access controls, and the growing risks surrounding AI agents.

Then, members of Microsoft’s Defender Purple Team discuss how they recreate full attack chains, including emerging AI-driven techniques, to identify detection gaps, strengthen defenses, and use AI to accelerate security research while keeping human expertise in the loop.

In this episode you’ll learn:

Why identity is at the center of modern security incidents

How attackers can bypass MFA and maintain access through sessions, tokens, and other forms of persistence

Why logging and long-term data retention are critical during incident response

How purple teams recreate full attack chains to uncover gaps in detection and response

Where AI can accelerate security research, and where deterministic systems and human oversight still matter

Why AI agents introduce new risks around access, permissions, and trust

Some questions we ask:

What should organizations be logging and retaining for incident response?

Where do organizations underestimate SaaS, OAuth, and identity persistence risks?

When should defenders contain an attacker versus continue gathering intelligence?

How does attacking an AI-enabled system begin to look like traditional offensive security?

Where should security researchers trust AI, and where should they rely on deterministic systems?

What should security teams understand about the exposure and permissions of their AI agents?

Resources:

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

The BlueHat Podcast

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

Why Threat Actors Love Your RMM Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, recorded live at Black Hat, Microsoft Threat Intelligence Director Elliot Volkman is joined by Andrew “Spike” Brandt, Principal Threat Intelligence Incident Commander at Huntress.

They explore how cybercriminals are increasingly abusing legitimate remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, why trusted remote-access software has become an attractive alternative to traditional malware, and how AI is improving phishing and social engineering. Spike also breaks down a real-world attack that deployed multiple RMM tools to maintain access, shares stories from his years of interacting directly with threat actors and offers practical guidance for detecting suspicious RMM activity before it leads to ransomware or data theft.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How AI is making phishing lures and fake websites more convincing

Why trusted remote-access software can evade traditional endpoint detection

How security teams can identify and block unauthorized RMM activity

Some questions we ask:

What information are attackers looking for once they gain access?

Why are attackers choosing legitimate tools instead of traditional malware?

How does compromised access eventually lead to ransomware or data theft?

Resources:

Huntress report on RMM abuse

View Andrew Brandt on LinkedIn

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

The BlueHat Podcast

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

JADEPUFFER: An End-to-End Agentic-Led Ransomware Attack Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, we are joined by Sysdig’s Michael Clark and Crystal Morin to discuss JADEPUFFER, one of the first documented cases of an LLM conducting an end-to-end ransomware operation. They break down how the agent, and the direction of a threat actor was identified, how AI is lowering the barrier to entry for ransomware, and why speed and adaptability are changing the threat landscape. Plus, they explore what organizations can do to defend against AI-powered attacks, from basic security hygiene and exposure management to better understanding their growing AI infrastructure.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How Jade Puffer used an LLM to conduct a ransomware attack

Why agentic AI can make cyberattacks faster and more adaptable

How organizations can better protect their growing AI infrastructure

Some questions we ask:

How did you determine an LLM was conducting the attack?

What basic security practices are most important against these attacks?

Does AI allow less-sophisticated threat actors to carry out more advanced attacks?

Resources:

Read the research on JADEPUFFER

View Crystal Morin on LinkedIn

View Michael Clark on LinkedIn

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

The BlueHat Podcast

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

Shifts We Are Seeing Across Social Engineering, Post-Disruption Impact Report Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, Microsoft Threat Intelligence Director⁠ Elliot Volkman is joined by Microsoft Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst Crane Hassold to explore how phishing and social engineering attacks are changing beyond email. They discuss the rise of QR code phishing, Microsoft Teams scams, SMS-based attacks, and why attackers continue to follow wherever people communicate.

Crane also shares practical security recommendations for organizations and explains how Microsoft's disruption of the Tycoon2FA phishing-as-a-service platform led to a dramatic decline in malicious activity while reshaping the broader phishing landscape.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How phishing attacks are evolving beyond email

The security basics every organization should prioritize
How attackers are exploiting Microsoft Teams and SMS

Some questions we ask:

What are you seeing in today's social engineering and phishing landscape?
How impactful was the Tycoon 2FA disruption?
Has Tycoon activity shifted elsewhere after the disruption?

Resources:

View Elliot Volkman on LinkedIn

View Crane Hassold on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

A Farewell from Sherrod: New Season Coming Soon Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

As we close out season three of the podcast, Sherrod offers her farewell message as she takes on a new threat intelligence leadership role outside of Microsoft. Our executive producer also joins to briefly share our plans for season four, with new faces and voices joining future episodes.

Behind the Book: Threat-Driven Software Development Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by co-authors Michael Howard, Lee Holmes, and Shawn Hernan for a discussion on their new book, Threat-Driven Software Development: Defending Online Services from Modern Threat Actors.

Together, they explore how security teams and software developers can build more resilient systems by understanding how real-world threat actors operate. From threat modeling and operational security to the evolving role of AI in both cyber defense and cybercrime, the conversation examines lessons learned from major security incidents and why secure design must be a priority from the earliest stages of software development.

In this episode you’ll learn:

Why security should be driven by real-world threat actor behavior

How developers can reduce risk through better design and operational practices

The role of threat modeling in modern software development

Some questions we ask:

How did the idea for Threat-Driven Software Development come about?

Why is operational security just as important as application security?

What do you hope readers take away from this book?

Resources:

View Lee Holmes on LinkedIn

View Michael Howard on LinkedIn

View Shawn Hernan on LinkedIn

View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

The BlueHat Podcast

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.

Casey Ellis on How AI Is Reshaping Vulnerability Research and Patching Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo sits down with Casey Ellis, founder of Bugcrowd and co-founder of disclose.io, to explore how AI is reshaping vulnerability research, bug bounty programs, and the future of cyber defense. They discuss the growing volume of vulnerabilities, the challenges of responsible disclosure, the rise of AI-assisted hacking, and what happens when increasingly powerful tools are placed in the hands of both defenders and attackers. The conversation also dives into the human side of cybersecurity, from community and creativity to maintaining optimism and connection in an AI-driven world.

In this episode you’ll learn: