The BlueHat Podcast

Latest Episodes:

From Specs to Security May 15, 2024

Show notes

Dor Dali, Head of Security Research at Cyolo, joins Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. They delve into Dor's journey into cybersecurity, from pranking friends as a teenager to his professional roles, including his involvement in the Blue Hat conference through GE, where he helped create the Capture The Flag (CTF) challenge. Dor details the vulnerabilities in the RDP protocol by closely following the protocol specifications and identifying discrepancies that led to security flaws. They detail a vulnerability related to RDP Gateway's UDP cookie authentication process, the implications of Dor's research for other security researchers and hackers and the importance of leveraging available resources, such as protocol specifications and open-source implementations, to understand closed-source systems better and potentially uncover vulnerabilities.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The unique perspective Dor has with RDP security research
How to approach security research when following the protocol specifications
The importance of clear documentation in preventing security vulnerabilities

Some Questions We Ask:

How did you design and build the Capture the Flag event?
Did you face any unexpected hurdles while researching the RDP protocol's security?
Have you found other security vulnerabilities by closely adhering to protocol specifications?

Resources:

View Dor Dali on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

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

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Beyond the Code: Ethics and AI with Katie Paxton-Fear May 01, 2024

Show notes

Cyber Security Content Creator, Speaker & Ethical Hacker, Katie Paxton-Fear, joins Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Katie holds a PhD in defense and security AI plus cybersecurity and works as an academic, teaching undergraduate students cybersecurity topics. She also runs a popular YouTube channel focused on bug bounty hunting, hacking, and pen testing. Katie shares her journey into cybersecurity, reflects on her initial interest in undeciphered languages and how it parallels her approach to cybersecurity, both involving a fascination with solving mysteries and uncovering hidden meanings.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Approaching AI systems with caution when translating less-documented languages
Concerns surrounding the use of copyrighted training data in AI systems
Recognizing and addressing AI system limitations and biases in real-world deployments.

Some Questions We Ask:

Can fine-tuning AI models prevent degradation and improve performance?
What are the ethical implications of putting sensitive information into AI systems
How does relying on niche or obscure training data impact AI models?

Resources:

View Katie Paxton-Fear on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

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SaaS Exposed: Unmasking Cyber Risks in Cloud Integrations Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

Luke Jennings, VP of Research & Development at Push Security joins Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Luke explains his recent presentation on a new SaaS cyber kill chain, exploring how attackers might target modern organizations heavily reliant on cloud and SaaS services, even when traditional infrastructure is minimal. The latest kill chain involves developing attack techniques specific to this environment, covering topics like lateral movement without conventional network infrastructure and adapting known techniques such as password guessing attacks to the SaaS landscape. Luke, Wendy, and Nic discuss the complexities of SaaS security, the intricacies of evil twin integrations, detection challenges, mitigation strategies, and the overall impact of these security issues on organizations.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Identifying malicious activities and understanding normal application behavior
The importance of having structured methodologies for approving SaaS app usage
Challenges organizations face in detecting and preventing SaaS application threats

Some Questions We Ask:

How can an organization create alerts for new, unknown SaaS app integrations?
What happens when a SaaS app integration is duplicated by an attacker?
Would having a structured methodology for SaaS app usage help minimize risk?

Resources:

View Luke Jennings on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

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Decoding Conference Proposals with Lea Snyder Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

Lea Snyder, Principal Security Engineer at Microsoft joins Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Lea is a security leader focused on security strategy and helping organizations mature their security posture and security programs, focusing on areas including IAM, product security, and risk management. Lea explains her unique role as a security architect, highlighting problem-solving across various domains within Microsoft. She shares her unconventional path to cybersecurity, starting with a background in economics and an MBA, and how she transitioned from IT roles to security. Lea, Wendy, and Nic discuss the importance of diverse backgrounds in the industry and offer advice on entering the cybersecurity field. Lea also discusses her involvement in community-driven conferences, particularly B-sides, highlighting their diverse and unique content.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Tips for submitting conference proposals
Challenges when balancing anonymity during a submission
The importance of a supportive approach in the conference submission process

Some Questions We Ask:

Is there a typical anonymization process to ensure fairness and inclusivity?
What are some challenges when selecting talks that resonate with an audience?
Can you elaborate on the value behind B-sides conferences and the unique atmosphere?

Resources:

View Lea Snyder on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Securing the Past with Dustin Heywood Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

Dustin Heywood, Hacker, Researcher, and Senior Leader at IBM, joins Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Dustin provided a live demonstration of cracking NTLM version 1 during his BlueHat presentation, showcasing the process of responding to challenges, using coercion techniques, and ultimately extracting and cracking the NTLM hash. Dustin, Nic, and Wendy discuss checking group policies, auditing every object, ensuring relevant systems, and managing IT assets effectively. They emphasize the importance of IT asset management and recommend quarantining legacy systems with restricted access.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Why security professionals need business skills for effective communication
Advice for auditing legacy systems with vulnerable protocols
Extracting DPAPI keys and decrypting browser session history

Some Questions We Ask:

How do you manage risk for legacy systems deemed necessary for business?
Can you discuss some of the outdated protocols in current IT environments?
What guidance would you offer to IT professionals looking to audit their systems?

Resources:

View Dustin Heywood on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breaking Bias: Tera Joyce and Tina Zhang-Powell on Celebrating Women in Cybersecurity Mar 08, 2024

Show notes

Microsoft Principal Security Engineering, Tera Joyce and Senior Security Program Manager at Microsoft, Tina Zhang-Powell join Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. As we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month, Tina and Tera join the show to discuss the importance of allies in promoting inclusivity and diversity within the industry. They both provide valuable perspectives on assumptions made about women in cybersecurity and offer guidance on fostering an inclusive environment. They highlight the importance of leaders being aware of representation and ensuring diverse perspectives are considered in the decision-making processes and share internal resources like mentoring programs and external opportunities such as conferences to support women in the field. Tina and Tera also offer advice to allies, encouraging them to actively include diverse voices and how they can contribute to creating a more inclusive cybersecurity community.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The significance of allies in promoting diversity and inclusivity
How we can address small instances of unconscious bias
The importance of discovering one's calling within the security field

Some Questions We Ask:

Can you share any resources or ways to support women in cybersecurity?
How can allies better support women in the cybersecurity industry?
Any advice for women or individuals interested in entering the tech and cybersecurity field?

Resources:

View Tera Joyce on LinkedIn

View Tina Zhang-Powell on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Black Voices Matter: The Role of Allyship in Cybersecurity with Devin Price and Derrick Love Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

Microsoft Security Technical Program Manager Devin Price and Sr. Program Manager Derrick Love join Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. The discussion delves into the experience of being Black in the cybersecurity field. Derrick and Devin share their thoughts on the representation of Black individuals in tech, noting the underrepresentation in the field. The significance of representation and allyship is also discussed while emphasizing the importance of paying it forward, mentoring others, and highlighting the responsibility to support those coming up in the field. Devin and Derrick share the importance of involvement with events that promote the black community, black businesses, and black-led nonprofits. These events aim to create a supportive network within the community, particularly for those working in the technology sector. It underlines the significance of adopting a growth mindset, fostering a sense of community, and actively contributing to the empowerment of individuals within the cybersecurity landscape.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

How mentorship can help the growth of underrepresented individuals in security
Actionable advice for fostering diversity in the industry
Why representation and allyship is so vital for Cybersecurity

Some Questions We Ask:

What challenges and rewards come with working in cybersecurity?
How can we positively affect and support the Black community in tech?
Can you share actionable advice for fostering diversity in the industry?

Resources:

View Devin Price on LinkedIn

View Derrick Love on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Beam Foundation

Sync Seattle

The Talking Tech Podcast

BAM Scholarship

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

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No Women; No Problem: Katelyn Falk on Creating an ERG for Women in Security Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

Katelyn Falk, Principal Security TPM at Zoom, joins Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Katelyn is a security technical program manager with 11+ years of experience across IT and security, both cyber and physical, and is also co-founder of Zoom's Women in Security group. Katelyn, Wendy, and Nic discuss the growth of Zoom, the challenges of fostering a sense of community in a rapidly expanding organization, and the importance of diversity and representation in the cybersecurity industry. Katelyn explains the inspiration behind her Blue Hat conference lightning talk, "No Women in Security Group, No Problem," and her role in creating the Women in Security Group.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Practical steps for starting a Women in Security employee resource group
Advice on overcoming self-doubt when considering a leadership role
Examples of allyship, offering resources and support in meetings

Some Questions We Ask:

How important is executive sponsorship, and how did you navigate securing it?
Can you outline the process of establishing a group leadership team?
How do you keep the members engaged and connected in a virtual setting?

Resources:

View Katelyn Falk on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

katelynfalk.com

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

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Harnessing the Power of Community in Cybersecurity with Darren Spruell Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

Leading Threat Intelligence at InQuest, Darren Spruell joins Wendy Zenone and Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Darren explains InQuest's focus on Deep File Inspection® technology to identify malicious traits in files and talks about their role in serving public and private sector companies. Darren shares his cybersecurity journey, passion for combating malware and criminal activities, and his presentation at BlueHat. Wendy, Nic, and Darren highlight the evolution of threat information sharing over the years and the value of intelligence advantage over adversaries. The conversation delves into the significance of threat indicators such as IP addresses, file hashes, domain names, and much more!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The challenges of exchanging threat intelligence and person-to-person sharing
Balancing technical expertise and leadership responsibilities
The importance of evolving manual threat intelligence sharing practices

Some Questions We Ask:

How can practitioners enhance the effectiveness of threat intelligence?
What types of security roles are sharing IOCs back and forth?
Why is community engagement in the cybersecurity industry so necessary?

Resources:

View Darren Spruell on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canary (Tokens) in the Code Mine with Casey Smith Jan 10, 2024

Show notes

Thinkst Canary, Cyber Security Researcher Casey Smith joins Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Nic and Casey discuss his background in security, his experience presenting at Blue Hat, and his session on building a Canary token to monitor Windows process execution. The Canary token project is an open-source initiative that creates artifacts on a network to alert defenders when an attacker interacts with them. The tokens can take various forms, such as documents, cloud credentials, QR codes, or executables, providing an early warning system for potential breaches. They also cover the importance of failure in the research process and the evolution of the canary token project to adapt to new attack techniques.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The need for defenders to explore new features in the Windows operating system
Challenges of keeping ahead of more sophisticated adversaries
The use of legitimate binaries for malicious activities

Some Questions We Ask:

How do you balance curiosity-driven research with practical security concerns?
What challenges do you see in the current state of endpoint security?
How do you navigate working with customers and using what you learn for research?

Resources:

View Casey Smith on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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

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