Expert panelists and host Marco Estrela bring you behind our shield to discuss current cybersecurity topics ripped from the headlines.

This episode's Hot Topics include: Do bounties for ransomware work? Black Basta, wreaking havoc again! Google accidentally wiping out a huge account and APT28 cybercrime group updates. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for some bonus insights from some of the biggest cyber conferences including RSA 2024, IBM think and, ITSec.

Sources:

Topic 1: Patrick #1

Article title: 10M$ Bounty

Source: https://www.clubic.com/actualite-525003-les-etats-unis-mettent-la-tete-de-4-hackers-iraniens-a-prix-avec-a-la-cle-10-millions-de-dollars-de-recompense.html

Topic 2: Jason #1

Article title: Black Basta Ransomware Strikes 500+ Entities Across North America, Europe, and Australia

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/05/black-basta-ransomware-strikes-500.html

Topic 3: Patrick #2

Article title: Google Cloud accidentally deletes UniSuper’s online account due to ‘unprecedented misconfiguration’

Source: https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/09/unisuper-google-cloud-issue-account-access

Topic 4: Jason #2

Article title: Microsoft Outlook Flaw Exploited by Russia's APT28 to Hack Czech, German Entities

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/05/microsoft-outlook-flaw-exploited-by.html

Behind the Shield host Marco Estrela and panelists Patrick Naoum and Jason Williams are joined by Bruno Germain of this episode's sponsor: Zscaler.

This episode's hot topics include:

Sources:

Topic 1: Jason

Article title: Hackers Deploy Python Backdoor in Palo Alto Zero-Day Attack

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/04/hackers-deploy-python-backdoor-in-palo.html

Topic 2: Patrick

Article title: Email scam drained $814,000 from Just for Laughs' coffers: report

Source: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/email-scam-drained-814000-from-just-for-laughs-coffers-report#:~:text=The%20Montreal%20company%20that%20operates,it%20seeks%20to%20avoid%20bankruptcy

Topic 3: Jason

Article title: Roku cyberattack impacts 576,000 accounts

Source: https://cybernews.com/news/roku-cyberattack-impacts-576000-accounts/

Zscaler spotlight: Bruno (and panelists) discuss the topic: “SDXCentral reports: “SASE is future, ZT is past, but SSE is right now”; The many ways this is wrong!”

Expert panelists (including our new panelist Jason Williams) and host Marco Estrela bring you behind our shield to discuss current cybersecurity topics ripped from the headlines.

This episode's all Hot Topics format includes: The Volt Typhoon announcement, Cyberattack on US healthcare payment system, SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure coming into effect, Lessons from the Microsoft's Password Spray Hack, and Why Companies Are Bringing Data In-House.

Sources:

Topic 1: Patrick #1

Article title: CISA and GOV Volt Typhoon announcement

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/Fact-Sheet-PRC-State-Sponsored-Cyber-Activity-Actions-for-Critical-Infrastructure-Leaders-508c.pdf

Topic 2: Bill #1

Article title: Cyberattack paralyzes largest US healthcare payment system

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/health/cyberattack-healthcare-cash.html

Topic 3: Jason #1

Article title: Cybersecurity Disclosure by the SEC coming into effect

Source: https://www.sec.gov/news/statement/gerding-cybersecurity-disclosure-20231214

Topic 4: Bill #2

Article title: Key Lesson from Microsoft's Password Spray Hack: Secure Every Account

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/03/key-lesson-from-microsofts-password.html

Topic 5: Jason #2

Article title: The Rise Of Cloud Repatriation: Why Companies Are Bringing Data In-House

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/04/18/the-rise-of-cloud-repatriation-why-companies-are-bringing-data-in-house/?sh=3af3d57358f7

Expert panelists, including our guest Matt Konwiser from this month's sponsor IBM Security, and host Marco Estrela discuss current cybersecurity topics ripped from the headlines.

This episode's Hot Topics include: Open AI’s concerns about #GenAI, the data security of AI boy/girlfriends, Matt’s take on the #AppleProVision, and LockBit’s recent bust by the UK government.

If you want to talk to us about our 24/7 SOC, powered by IBM Security’s QRadar, you can reach us at 1-800-401-TECH or virtualguardian.com.

Sources:

Topic 1: Bill

Article title: Microsoft, OpenAI Warn of Nation-State Hackers Weaponizing AI for Cyber Attacks

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/02/microsoft-openai-warn-of-nation-state.html

Topic 2: Patrick

Article title: “AI girlfriends” are a privacy nightmare

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/ai-girlfriends-privacy-nightmare/

Topic 3: Bill

Article title: Lockbit cybercrime gang faces global takedown with indictments and arrests

Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/us-indicts-two-russian-nationals-lockbit-cybercrime-gang-bust-2024-02-20/

Virtual Guardian's BTS panelists and guest Jane Arnett of Check Point cover hot topics, revisit the highs and lows of cybersecurity in 2023, and make their predictions and wishes for 2024.

Hot Topic Sources:

Article title: Hackers Extort Victim with SEC Whistleblower Complaint

Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/hackers-extort-victim-with-sec-2694993/#:~:text=In%20an%20unintended%20consequence%20of,isn%27t%20even%20required%20yet.

Article title: We tried to quantify how harmful hospital ransomware attacks are for patients. Here’s what we found

Source: https://www.statnews.com/2023/11/17/hospital-ransomware-attack-patient-deaths-study/

We didn't have time to get to all of our Hot Topics in the Nov 2nd Behind the Shield! Ready for a little more cyber news from Marco, Bill and Patrick?

Bonus Hot Topics:

1. AI Kidnapping Hoaxes: https://www.darkreading.com/black-hat/virtual-kidnapping-ai-tools-enabling-irl-extortion-scams
2. Johnson Controls Breach - An Update from Patrick from last week's discussion. https://www.msspalert.com/news/johnson-controls-struck-by-king-size-ransomware-attack-demanding-51-million-payoff
3. Fraudsters target Booking.com customers claiming hotel stay could be cancelled . https://grahamcluley.com/fraudsters-target-booking-com-customers-claiming-hotel-stay-could-be-cancelled/
4. Okta breach à One Password: https://www.darkreading.com/black-hat/virtual-kidnapping-ai-tools-enabling-irl-extortion-scams

November 2023 Episode (Recorded on 11.02.2023) – Special #AIWeek Episode

Expert panelists, including our guest Chris ‘Tito’ Sestino of HiddenLayer, and host Marco Estrela discuss current cybersecurity topics ripped from the headlines.

Hot Topics: Credit card fraud while traveling; AI generated phishing attacks, Johnson Controls Breach, Emerging AI Regulations & Effects

Spotlight: “Securing AI Innovation: Safeguarding AI Amid Emerging Threats” - Chris Sestito, Co-founder & CEO of HiddenLayer, a cybersecurity start-up dedicated to preventing adversarial artificial intelligence attacks.

Sources:

Topic 1: Credit card fraud and tips for guarding credit cards while traveling.

Source: N/A

Topic 2: Bill

Article title: AI generates convincing phising attacks

Source: https://www.csoonline.com/article/656698/generative-ai-phishing-fears-realized-as-model-develops-highly-convincing-emails-in-5-minutes.html

Topic 3: Patrick

Article title: Jonhson Controls breach

Source: https://www.msspalert.com/news/johnson-controls-struck-by-king-size-ransomware-attack-demanding-51-million-payoff

Topic 4: Tito

Article title: Emerging AI Regulations & Its Effect on Innovation

Source: N/A

September 2023 Episode (Recorded on 9.21.2023)

Expert panelists and host Marco Estrela discuss current cybersecurity topics ripped from the headlines.

Hot Topics: MGM and Caesar’s Cyberattack, TransUnion Data stolen, Microsoft AI Employee Accidental Leak, Canadian Airports DOS, Clorox Breach

Extras: CISCO’s $28B purchase of SPLUNK, NaviLogic’s name change to Virtual Guardian

Sources:

Topic 1: Bill #1

Article title: MGM and Caesar’s cyberattack

Source: https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/mgm-hackers-could-have-tried-to-get-slots-to-spit-out-money-2907417/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-13/caesars-entertainment-paid-millions-in-ransom-in-recent-attack?embedded-checkout=true

Topic 2: Patrick #1

Article title: Law 25 Event in Montreal

Source: N/A

Topic 3: Marco #1

Article title: TransUnion data stolen, but they say their weren’t hacked!

Source: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/transunions-data-stolen-in-major-data-breach

Topic 4: Bill #2

Article title: Microsoft AI Employee Accidentally Leaks 38TB of Data

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-ai-employee-accidentally-leaks-38tb-of-data?utm_medium=browser_notifications&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=3558823&utm_country_code=CA

Topic 5: Patrick #2

Article title: Source: Canadian Airports DOS

Source: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/national/2023-09-19/agence-des-services-frontaliers/la-panne-dans-les-aeroports-provenait-bien-d-une-attaque-informatique.php?utm_campaign=internal+share&utm_content=ulink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=lpp&redirectedFrom=https%253A%252F%252Fplus.lapresse.ca%252Fscreens%252Fbd53d576-4f02-4d19-853b-a9f64e7d1a31__7C___0.html%253Futm_campaign%253Dinternal%252520share%2526utm_content%253Dulink%2526utm_medium%253Dreferral%2526utm_source%253Dlpp

Topic 6: Marco #2

Article title: Clorox Breach

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/18/business/clorox-cyberattack-production-disruption/index.html