Episodios

  • Ransomware: From Isolated Attacks to Global Criminal Ecosystem

    Ransomware: From Isolated Attacks to Global Criminal Ecosystem
    Apr 8 2026
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo speaks with Cynthia Kaiser to unpack the progression of ransomware from isolated attacks into a sophisticated global criminal ecosystem. Drawing on her two decades at the FBI and current role at Halcyon, Cynthia explains how cybercrime has scaled through organized networks, improved tactics, and increasing speed, with some attacks now unfolding in under an hour. The conversation explores how law enforcement strategies have shifted from targeting low-level actors to disrupting entire ecosystems, leading to more impactful takedowns. Cynthia also highlights the real-world consequences of ransomware, including its growing impact on critical infrastructure like hospitals and the potential for loss of life. The episode examines how AI is shaping both attacker and defender capabilities, accelerating phishing and access while also enabling stronger defensive responses. In this episode you’ll learn: How ransomware evolved into a global organized criminal ecosystem Why modern ransomware attacks are faster, more scalable, and harder to stop The real-world impact of ransomware, including risks to critical infrastructure Some questions we ask: How has ransomware shifted into a larger ecosystem over time? What are companies getting wrong about cyber insurance and recovery? Are autonomous AI-driven attacks a real threat yet? Resources: View Cynthia Kaiser on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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.
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    48 m
  • Winter SHIELD: Closing the Security Control Gap

    Winter SHIELD: Closing the Security Control Gap
    Mar 25 2026
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo speaks with Jarrod Forgues Schlenker of the FBI’s Cyber Division about the pattern's investigators see in cyber incidents and how initiatives like Operation Winter Shield aim to close the gap between knowing what to do and actually implementing it. They discuss the importance of foundational controls like phishing-resistant authentication, secure logging, and strong identity protection, as well as the role threat intelligence and prevention play in strengthening organizational defenses. The conversation highlights how small, practical security improvements can significantly disrupt attackers and help organizations reduce risk before an incident occurs. In this episode you’ll learn: How the FBI identifies recurring patterns in cyber-attacks across investigations Why phishing-resistant authentication and MFA are critical for stopping credential theft What Operation Winter Shield is and how it encourages organizations to move from awareness to action Some questions we ask: Which security control themes in the program stand out to you the most? Why are log retention and protection so critical during investigations? How can threat intelligence programs help organizations strengthen their defenses? Resources: View Jarrod Forgues Schlenker on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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.
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    37 m
  • AI as Tradecraft: How Threat Actors Are Operationalizing AI

    AI as Tradecraft: How Threat Actors Are Operationalizing AI
    Mar 11 2026
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Greg Schlomer and Vlad H. to discuss new research on Jasper Sleet, a North Korean–aligned threat actor incorporating AI into active operations. The conversation examines how AI is being integrated across the attack lifecycle — from highly tailored phishing lures and fabricated job applicant personas to accelerating malware development and refining operational workflows. Rather than treating AI as a novelty, Jasper Sleet is using it to increase speed, scale, and adaptability while reducing many of the friction points that once slowed campaigns. They also explore what this shift means for defenders. As AI compresses iteration cycles and lowers barriers to entry, traditional attribution signals evolve, influence operations become more convincing, and defensive teams must tighten the loop between intelligence, detection, and response. This is less about experimentation and more about the operationalization of AI as part of modern tradecraft. In this episode you’ll learn: How AI is changing the speed at which cyber operations evolve Why jailbreaking AI models is often trivial for motivated adversaries The strategic implications of AI leveling the playing field between threat actors Some questions we ask: Is there resistance among experienced malware authors to adopting AI? Are we seeing fully AI-written malware in the wild? What stands out about Jasper Sleet’s use of AI? Resources: View Greg Schloemer on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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.
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    22 m
  • AI Recommendation Poisoning: When Optimization Becomes Manipulation

    AI Recommendation Poisoning: When Optimization Becomes Manipulation
    Feb 26 2026
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, Sherrod DeGrippo speaks with Microsoft security and AI researchers Giorgio Severi and Noam Kochavi about a newly observed trend in AI abuse: recommendation poisoning through memory manipulation. While looking into prompt injection and reprompt-style behaviors, the team uncovered something quieter but potentially more persistent—websites embedding hidden instructions inside Summarize with AI links that attempt to influence what an AI assistant remembers and recommends over time. Rather than focusing on immediate exploitation, this technique aims to shape long-term behavior inside AI systems. Giorgio and Noam explain how it works, why it’s spreading across industries, where legitimate marketing tactics can blur into security risk, and what defenders and users should understand about managing AI memory in an increasingly agent-driven environment. In this episode you’ll learn: How AI memory poisoning differs from traditional prompt injection Why legitimate businesses are using memory manipulation tactics What threat hunters can look for inside enterprise telemetry Some questions we ask: How is memory poisoning different from prompt injection? What are the long-term risks of embedding bias into AI memory? Could this technique be used for more harmful influence beyond marketing? Resources: View Giorgio Severi on LinkedIn View Noam Kochavi on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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.
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    26 m
  • Unpacking the Latest Threats Targeting the Financial Services Industry

    Unpacking the Latest Threats Targeting the Financial Services Industry
    Feb 11 2026
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Microsoft security researchers Megan Stalling and Anna Seitz to examine how financially motivated threat actors are using familiar, low-complexity techniques to drive real-world impact across the financial services sector. They examine Storm-0727, a financially motivated threat actor targeting cryptocurrency, financial services, and government entities, highlighting how simple techniques like financial-themed lures, macro-enabled documents, and credential theft allow attackers to quietly establish and maintain access. The conversation then expands to broader financial-services threat trends, including business email compromise, ransomware with data extortion, phishing-as-a-service, and why social engineering and unpatched vulnerabilities continue to succeed even in mature security environments. In this episode you’ll learn: How credential theft helps attackers maintain persistence Why social engineering works even in well-secured environments How Storm-0727 targets financial services and cryptocurrency organizations Some questions we ask: What happens after a victim opens a macro-enabled document used by Storm-0727? How are phishing as a service platforms changing the threat landscape? What major threat trends are currently shaping the financial services sector? Resources: View Megan Stalling on LinkedIn View Anna Seitz on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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
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    30 m
  • Fact vs Hype: How Threat Actors Are Really Using AI Right Now

    Fact vs Hype: How Threat Actors Are Really Using AI Right Now
    Jan 28 2026
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by security researcher Crane Hassold and Digital Defense Report lead Chloe Mesdaghi for a grounded, practitioner-led discussion on where artificial intelligence actually stands today. Moving beyond hype and fear-driven narratives, the conversation examines how AI is realistically being used by threat actors, where its impact is often overstated, and why defenders currently stand to gain the most from AI-driven tooling. The episode explores AI’s strengths in detection, triage, and workflow acceleration, the psychology and incentives that shape attacker behavior, and emerging risks such as prompt injection and AI systems becoming direct attack targets. In this episode you’ll learn: Where AI is genuinely being used in real-world cyber operations Why AI systems themselves are becoming attractive targets for attackers How AI is accelerating defensive workflows like detection engineering and threat triage Some questions we ask: What does AI do well right now, and where has it been overpromised? Does AI shift the balance of power toward defenders or attackers? Why are prompt injection and agent manipulation such serious concerns? Resources: View Chloé Messdaghi on LinkedIn View Crane Hassold on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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.
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    42 m
  • Open SesameOp: Abusing trusted AI platforms to host a C2 server

    Open SesameOp: Abusing trusted AI platforms to host a C2 server
    Jan 14 2026
    To kick off Season 3 of Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Microsoft security researchers Anna Seitz and Jonathan Checchi. Our guests examine two developments shaping today’s threat landscape: the cloud-native evolution of ransomware group Storm-0501 and the SesameOp backdoor’s abuse of trusted AI platforms for stealthy command-and-control. The discussion highlights how identity, hybrid-cloud pivot points, and federated authentication enable high-impact attacks without traditional malware, and why policy-compliant platform abuse is becoming harder to detect. Sherrod, Anna, and Jonathan provide guidance for defenders around enforcing MFA, tightening conditional access and identity controls, monitoring across cloud and on-prem environments, and partnering with platform providers to disrupt emerging attacker tradecraft. In this episode you’ll learn: What happens when threat actors gain control of highly privileged identities Why monitoring identity behavior is as critical as monitoring endpoints How attacker tactics are adapting to environments that blend cloud and on-prem systems Some questions we ask: What does recent threat activity tell us about where the landscape is headed? How is Storm-0501 using federated authentication in their operations? What should security teams focus on as AI becomes more integrated into systems? Resources: View Anna Seitz on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo 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.
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    36 m
  • Whisper Leak: How Threat Actors Can See What You Talk to AI About

    Whisper Leak: How Threat Actors Can See What You Talk to AI About
    Dec 17 2025
    In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by security researchers Geoff McDonald and JBO to discuss Whisper Leak, new research showing that encrypted AI traffic can still unintentionally reveal what a user is asking about through patterns in packet size and timing. They explain how LLM token streaming enables this kind of side-channel attack, why even well-encrypted conversations can be classified for sensitive topics, and what this means for privacy, national-level surveillance risks, and secure product design. The conversation also walks through how the study was conducted, what patterns emerged across different AI models, and the steps developers should take to mitigate these risks. In this episode you’ll learn: Why packet sizes and timing patterns reveal more information than most users realize How user-experience choices like showing streamed text create a larger attack surface The difference between classic timing attacks and the new risks uncovered in Whisper Leak Resources: View JBO on LinkedIn View Geoff McDonald on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn Learn more about Whisper Leak 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.
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    48 m