In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we unpack what “changed the rules” actually means, why this is a classic cloud governance problem (old assumptions meeting new capabilities), and what to check right now. The bottom line: AI features are quietly expanding the blast radius of credentials you never intended to treat as secrets.

Key Takeaways

1. Audit legacy API keys before and after enabling AI services - Inventory every API key across your cloud projects and confirm it is still required, properly scoped, and has a clear owner. Treat AI enablement as a formal trigger event to reassess any previously published or embedded keys in that same project.

2. Treat API keys as sensitive credentials in the AI era - Even if a vendor once described a key as “not a secret,” AI endpoints materially increase financial and potential data exposure risk. Apply rotation, monitoring, strict quotas, and real-time billing alerts accordingly.

3. Enforce least privilege at the API level - Referrer or IP restrictions alone are insufficient. Every key should be explicitly limited to only the APIs it requires. “Allow all APIs” should not exist in production.

4. Isolate AI development from production application projects - Avoid enabling AI services in long-lived projects that contain public-facing keys. Use separate projects, accounts, or subscriptions for AI experimentation and production workloads to reduce blast radius and cost exposure.

5. Update third-party risk management to include AI-driven credential and cost risk - Ask vendors how API keys are scoped, restricted, rotated, and monitored especially for AI services. Confirm that AI environments are isolated from production systems and that abnormal AI usage or billing spikes are actively monitored.

Resources:

1. Google API Keys Weren’t Secrets. But then Gemini Changed the Rules (Truffle Security)

https://trufflesecurity.com/blog/google-api-keys-werent-secrets-but-then-gemini-changed-the-rules

2. Previously harmless Google API keys now expose Gemini AI data (BleepingComputer)

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/previously-harmless-google-api-keys-now-expose-gemini-ai-data/

3. DEF CON 31 – “Private Keys in Public Places” (Tom Pohl) (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t_ntuSXniw

4. Exposed Secrets, Broken Trust: What the DOGE API Key Leak Teaches Us About Software Security (LMG Security)

https://www.lmgsecurity.com/exposed-secrets-broken-trust-what-the-doge-api-key-leak-teaches-us-about-software-security

5. Google Cloud docs: API keys overview & best practices (Google) https://docs.cloud.google.com/api-keys/docs/overview

At the same time, Microsoft’s February patch cycle included an unusually high number of zero-days already under active exploitation — real-world evidence that the race is already accelerating, and the window between discovery and impact is shrinking.

In this Cyberside Chats Live, we’ll connect the dots on what this means for defenders in 2026: a shrinking window between discovery and exploitation, shifting assumptions about “well-tested” software, and practical ways to rethink patch prioritization, detection, and exposure management.

Key Takeaways:

1. Plan for exploitation before disclosure - The era of negative-day vulnerabilities is here, flaws that may be discovered and weaponized before the broader security community even knows they exist. Assume exploitation could precede public advisories. Build response models around mitigation speed, not just patch timelines.

2. Prioritize exposure, not just severity - In a compressed exploit cycle, CVSS alone won’t protect you. Focus first on internet-facing systems, identity infrastructure, and high-privilege assets. If you cannot quickly identify what is externally reachable, that visibility gap becomes strategic risk.

3. Assume compromise on exposed assets and monitor accordingly - If attackers can exploit vulnerabilities before the world knows they exist, you may be compromised without a CVE to point to. Increase monitoring on internet-facing systems and critical apps for signs of intrusion: unexpected processes, new admin accounts, unusual authentication patterns, suspicious outbound connections, and persistence mechanisms.

4. Treat compensating controls as first-line defense - When patches aren’t available or cannot be deployed immediately rapid mitigations matter. Restrict access, disable vulnerable features, deploy firewall and WAF protections, and tighten segmentation. Mitigation agility should be operational, tested, and pre-authorized.

5. Prepare for containment patches may not exist - If exploitation is confirmed and no fix is available, leadership decisions must happen quickly. Define in advance who can isolate systems, disable services, revoke credentials, or temporarily disrupt operations. Shorten containment decision cycles before you need them.

6. Rehearse a “negative-day” tabletop - Run a scenario where exploitation is active, no patch exists, and public disclosure hasn’t occurred. Measure how fast you can reduce exposure, hunt internally, and communicate with executives. This exercise will expose friction points that policies alone will not.

7. Integrate AI into your vendor risk model - If AI is accelerating vulnerability discovery and code generation, your third parties are likely using it too. Update vendor due diligence to assess how AI-generated code is reviewed, secured, and tested. Ask about model governance, secure development controls, and vulnerability response timelines. If you lack visibility into how vendors manage AI risk, that gap becomes part of your attack surface.

Resources:

1. Anthropic – Evaluating and Mitigating the Growing Risk of LLM-Discovered 0-Days (Feb 5, 2026) https://red.anthropic.com/2026/zero-days/

2. Zero Day Initiative – February 2026 Security Update Review https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2026/2/10/the-february-2026-security-update-review

3. SecurityWeek – 6 Actively Exploited Zero-Days Patched by Microsoft (Feb 2026) https://www.securityweek.com/6-actively-exploited-zero-days-patched-by-microsoft-with-february-2026-updates/

4. Tenable – Claude Opus and AI-Driven Vulnerability Discovery Analysis https://www.tenable.com/blog/Anthropic-Claude-Opus-AI-vulnerability-discovery-cybersecurity

5. OpenAI releases crypto security tool as Claude blamed for $2.7m Moonwell bug

https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/openai-releases-crypto-security-tool/

The case remains ongoing and deeply serious. For enterprise security leaders, the lesson is bigger than a consumer camera: modern systems often retain residual data across devices, local buffers, and vendor backends, even when teams believe it has been removed. In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we examine what that means for corporate environments, including IoT and physical security systems, data retention and legal exposure, vendor access models, and incident response realities when “deleted” data can still be recovered.

This case underscores a complex reality: data can remain accessible long after we believe it’s gone: sometimes a source of risk, and sometimes invaluable.

Key Takeaways:

1. Treat vendors as part of your data perimeter - Review contracts and platform settings to understand who can access footage or logs, what “support access” entails, what data is retained in backend systems, and how data is handled during incident response or legal requests.

2. Control encryption keys and access paths - Know who holds encryption keys, how administrative access is granted and monitored, and whether “end-to-end encryption” claims align with your threat model and regulatory requirements.

3. Include IoT and security devices in your data inventory - Cameras, badge systems, and smart building technology are data systems. Document on-device storage, cloud sync behavior, local buffers, and backend retention — not just cloud repositories.

4. Align retention decisions with legal and regulatory risk - Longer retention may aid investigations but increases eDiscovery scope, breach exposure, and privacy obligations. Retention should be a deliberate business risk decision made with Legal and Compliance.

5. Test whether deletion actually works - Validate purge workflows across vendor platforms and internal systems, including backups and disaster recovery, because “logical deletion” often isn’t “forensic deletion.” Build policies around how long data persists in replicas, backups, buffers, and vendor systems — and plan accordingly in both incident response and governance strategy.

Resources:

1. Tom’s Guide – How did the FBI get Nancy Guthrie’s Google Nest camera footage if it was disabled — and what does it mean for your privacy? https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/online-security/how-did-the-fbi-get-nancy-guthries-google-nest-camera-footage-if-it-was-disabled-and-what-does-it-mean-for-your-privacy

2. CNET – Amazon’s Ring cameras push deeper into police and government surveillance https://www.cnet.com/home/security/amazons-ring-cameras-push-deeper-into-police-and-government-surveillance/

3.NBC News – Ring doorbell camera employees mishandled customer videos, FTC says https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/ring-doorbell-camera-employees-mishandled-customer-videos-rcna87103

4. Federal Trade Commission – Ring Refunds https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds/ring-refunds

5. R Street Institute – Apple pulls end-to-end encryption feature from UK after demands for law enforcement access https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/apple-pulls-end-to-end-encryption-feature-from-uk-after-demands-for-law-enforcement-access/

6. Exposing the Secret Office 365 Forensics Tool – An ethical crisis in the digital forensics industry came to a head last week with the release of new details on Microsoft’s undocumented “Activities” API. https://www.lmgsecurity.com/exposing-the-secret-office-365-forensics-tool/

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we look at how modern ransomware groups collaborate, specialize, and team up to scale attacks faster. Using ShinyHunters’ newly launched data leak website as an example, we discuss how different crews handle access, social engineering, and data exposure, and why overlapping roles make attribution, defense, and response harder.

We also explore what this shift means for security leaders, from training and identity protection to preparing for data extortion that doesn’t involve encryption.

Key Takeaways

1. Harden identity and SaaS workflows, not just endpoints - Review help desk procedures, SSO flows, OAuth permissions, and admin access. Many recent incidents succeed without malware or exploits.

2. Train staff for voice phishing and IT impersonation - Add vishing scenarios to security awareness programs, especially for help desk and IT-adjacent roles.

3. Limit blast radius across cloud and SaaS platforms - Enforce least privilege, audit third-party integrations, and regularly review OAuth scopes and token lifetimes.

4. Plan for data extortion without ransomware - Update incident response plans and tabletop exercises to assume data theft and public exposure, even when no systems are encrypted.

5. Practice executive decision-making under data exposure pressure - Tabletop exercises should include legal, communications, and leadership discussions about public leaks, reputational risk, and extortion demands.

Resources

1. Panera Bread Breach Linked to ShinyHunters and Voice Phishing

https://mashable.com/article/panera-bread-breach-shinyhunters-voice-phishing-14-million-customers

2. BreachForums Database Leak Exposes 324,000 Accounts

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/breachforums-hacking-forum-database-leaked-exposing-324-000-accounts/

3. BreachForums Disclosure and ShinyHunters

https://blog.barracuda.com/2026/01/26/breachforums-disclosure-shinyhunters

4. Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters: 2025’s Most Dangerous Cybercrime

https://www.picussecurity.com/resource/blog/scattered-lapsus-hunters-2025s-most-dangerous-cybercrime-supergroup

5. Microsoft Digital Defense Report

https://www.microsoft.com/security/business/security-insider/microsoft-digital-defense-report

Using real-world examples like the EchoLeak zero-click vulnerability in Microsoft 365 Copilot, the discussion highlights how AI can inherit broad, legitimate access to enterprise data while operating outside traditional security controls. These risks often generate no alerts, no indicators of compromise, and no obvious “incident” until sensitive data has already been exposed or misused.

Listeners will walk away with a practical framework for understanding where AI risk hides inside modern environments—and concrete steps security and IT teams can take to centralize AI usage, regain visibility, govern access, and apply long-standing security principles to this rapidly evolving attack surface.

Key Takeaways

1. Centralize AI usage across the organization. Require a clear, centralized process for approving AI tools and enabling new AI features, including those embedded in existing SaaS platforms.

2. Gain visibility into AI access and data flows. Inventory which AI tools, agents, and features are in use, which users interact with them, and what data sources they can access or influence.

3. Restrict and govern AI usage based on data sensitivity. Align AI permissions with data classification, restrict use for regulated or highly sensitive data sets, and integrate AI considerations into vendor risk management.

4. Apply the principle of least privilege to AI systems. Treat AI like any other privileged entity by limiting access to only what is necessary and reducing blast radius if credentials or models are misused.

5. Evaluate technical controls designed for AI security. Consider emerging solutions such as AI gateways that provide enforcement, logging, and observability for prompts, responses, and model access.

Resources

1. Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/security-insider/threat-landscape/microsoft-digital-defense-report-2025

2. NIST AI Risk Management Framework

https://www.nist.gov/itl/ai-risk-management-framework

3. Microsoft 365 Copilot Zero-Click AI Vulnerability (EchoLeak)

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/microsoft-365-copilot-zeroclick-ai/

4. Adapting to AI Risks: Essential Cybersecurity Program Updates.

https://www.LMGsecurity.com/resources/adapting-to-ai-risks-essential-cybersecurity-program-updates/

5. Microsoft on Agentic AI and Embedded Automation (2026)

https://news.microsoft.com/source/2026/01/08/microsoft-propels-retail-forward-with-agentic-ai-capabilities-that-power-intelligent-automation-for-every-retail-function/

In this live discussion, we’ll connect the Verizon outage to past telecom and cloud disruptions to examine how infrastructure dependency creates cascading business impact. We’ll also explore how large-scale outages intersect with security threats targeting telecommunications, where availability, confidentiality, and integrity failures increasingly overlap.

The session will close with actionable takeaways for strengthening resilience and risk planning across cybersecurity and IT programs.

Key Takeaways

1. Diversify your technology infrastructure. Relying on a single carrier, cloud provider, or bundled service creates a single point of failure. Purposeful diversification across providers can reduce the impact of large-scale outages and improve overall resilience.

2. Treat outages as security incidents, not just reliability problems. Large-scale telecom and cloud outages directly disrupt authentication, monitoring, and incident response, and should trigger security workflows—not just IT troubleshooting.

3. Identify and document your dependencies on carriers and cloud providers. Many security controls rely on SMS, voice, cloud identity, or single regions; understanding these dependencies ahead of time prevents dangerous blind spots during outages.

4. Plan and test incident response without phones, SMS, or primary cloud access. Assume your normal communication and authentication methods will fail and ensure your teams know how to coordinate securely when core services are unavailable.

5. Expect outages to increase fraud and social engineering activity. Attackers exploit confusion and urgency during service disruptions, so security teams should prepare staff for impersonation and “service restoration” scams during major outages.

6. Use widespread outages as learning opportunities. Review what happened, assess how your organization was—or could have been—impacted, identify potential areas for improvement, and update incident response, communications, and resilience plans accordingly.

Resources

1. Verizon official network outage update https://www.verizon.com/about/news/update-network-outage

2. Forrester: Verizon outage reignites reliability concerns https://www.forrester.com/blogs/verizon-outage-reignites-reliability-concerns/

3. CNN: Verizon outage disrupted phone and internet service nationwide https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/15/tech/verizon-outage-phone-internet-service

4. AP News: Verizon outage disrupted calling and data services nationwide https://apnews.com/article/85d658a4fb6a6175cae8981d91a809c9

5. CNN: AT&T outage shows how dependent daily life has become on mobile networks (2024) https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/23/tech/att-outage-customer-service

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we explain why the GM case matters to CISOs, cybersecurity leaders, and IT teams everywhere. Data proliferation doesn’t just create privacy exposure; it creates systemic risk that fuels identity abuse, authentication bypass, fake job applications, and deepfake campaigns across organizations. The message is simple: data is hazardous material, and minimizing it is now a core part of cybersecurity strategy. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Prioritize data inventory and mapping in 2026 

You cannot assess risk, select controls, or meet regulatory obligations without knowing what data you have, where it lives, how it flows, and why it is retained. 

2. Reduce data to reduce risk 

Data minimization is a security control that lowers breach impact, compliance burden, and long-term cost. 

3. Expect that regulators care about data use, not just breaches 

Enforcement increasingly targets over-collection, secondary use, sharing, and retention even when no breach occurs. 

4. Create and actively use a data classification policy 

Classification drives retention, access controls, monitoring, and protection aligned to data value and regulatory exposure. 

5. Design identity and recovery assuming personal data is already compromised 

Build authentication and recovery flows that do not rely on the secrecy of SSNs, dates of birth, addresses, or other static personal data. 

6. Train teams on data handling, not just security tools 

Ensure engineers, IT staff, and business teams understand what data can be collected, how long it can be retained, where it may be stored, and how it can be shared. 

Resources:

1. California Privacy Protection Agency — Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP) 

https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/ 

2. FTC Press Release — FTC Takes Action Against General Motors for Sharing Drivers’ Precise Location and Driving Behavior Data 

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-takes-action-against-general-motors-sharing-drivers-precise-location-driving-behavior-data 

3. California Delete Act (SB 362) — Overview 

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB362 

4. Texas Attorney General — Data Privacy Enforcement Actions 

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases 

5. Data Breaches by Sherri Davidoff 

https://www.amazon.com/Data-Breaches-Opportunity-Sherri-Davidoff/dp/0134506782

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we use Venezuela’s disruption as a case study to show how cyber risk escalates when power, connectivity, and trusted services break down. We examine why phishing, fraud, and impersonation reliably surge after crises, how narratives around cyber-enabled disruption can trigger copycat or opportunistic attacks, and why even well-run organizations resort to risky security shortcuts when normal systems fail. 

We also explore how attackers weaponize emergency messaging, impersonate critical infrastructure and connectivity providers, and exploit verification failures when standard workflows are disrupted. The takeaway is simple: when infrastructure collapses, trust erodes—and cybercrime scales quickly to fill the gap. 

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we use the Epstein files as a real-world case study to explore two sides of the same problem: how organizations can be confident they’re not releasing more data than intended, and how they can trust—or verify—the information they consume under pressure. We dig into redaction failures, how AI tools change the risk model, how attackers weaponize breaking news, and practical ways teams can authenticate data before reacting.

One case involved a North Korean IT worker who entered Amazon’s environment through a third-party contractor and was detected through subtle behavioral anomalies rather than malware. The other detailed a years-long Russian state-sponsored campaign that shifted away from exploits and instead abused misconfigured edge devices and trusted infrastructure to steal and replay credentials.

Together, these incidents show how nation-state attackers are increasingly blending into human and technical systems that organizations already trust — forcing defenders to rethink how initial access really happens going into 2026.

Key Takeaways

1. Treat hiring and contractors as part of your attack surface.

Nation-state actors are deliberately targeting IT and technical roles. Contractor onboarding, identity verification, and access scoping should be handled with the same rigor as privileged account provisioning.

2. Secure and monitor network edge devices as identity infrastructure

Misconfigured edge devices have become a primary initial access vector. Inventory them, assign ownership, restrict management access, and monitor them like authentication systems — not just networking gear.

3. Enforce strong MFA everywhere credentials matter

If credentials can be used without MFA, assume they will be abused. Require MFA on VPNs, edge device management interfaces, cloud consoles, SaaS admin portals, and internal administrative access.

4. Harden endpoints and validate how access actually occurs

Endpoint security still matters. Harden devices and look for signs of remote control, unusual latency, or access paths that don’t match how work is normally done.

5. Shift detection from “malicious” to “out of place”

The most effective attacks often look legitimate. Focus detection on behavioral mismatches — access that technically succeeds but doesn’t align with role, geography, timing, or expected workflow.

Resources:

1. Amazon Threat Intelligence Identifies Russian Cyber Threat Group Targeting Western Critical Infrastructure

https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/amazon-threat-intelligence-identifies-russian-cyber-threat-group-targeting-western-critical-infrastructure/

2. Amazon Caught North Korean IT Worker by Tracing Keystroke Data

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-12-17/amazon-caught-north-korean-it-worker-by-tracing-keystroke-data/

3. North Korean Infiltrator Caught Working in Amazon IT Department Thanks to Keystroke Lag

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/cyber-security/north-korean- infiltrator-caught-working-in-amazon-it-department-thanks-to-lag-110ms- keystroke-input-raises-red-flags-over-true-location

4. Confessions of a Laptop Farmer: How an American Helped North Korea’s Remote Worker Scheme

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-23/confessions-of-a-laptop- farmer-how-an-american-helped-north-korea-s-remote-worker-scheme

5. Hiring security checklist

https://www.lmgsecurity.com/resources/hiring-security-checklist/

We explore how AI blurred the lines between legitimate and malicious communication, why authentication can no longer stop at the login screen, and where organizations must start adding verification into everyday workflows—from IT support calls to executive requests and financial approvals.  

Plus, we discuss what “next-generation” user training looks like when employees can no longer rely on old phishing cues and must instead adopt identity-safety habits that AI can’t easily spoof.  

If you want to strengthen your security program for the year ahead, this is the episode to watch.  

Key Takeaways: 

1. Audit where internal conversations trigger action. Before adding controls, understand where trust actually matters—financial approvals, IT support, HR changes, executive requests—and treat those points as attack surfaces.  
2. Expand authentication into everyday workflows. Add verification to calls, video meetings, chats, approvals, and support interactions using known systems, codes, and out-of-band confirmation. Apply friction intentionally where mistakes are costly.  
3. Use verified communication features in collaboration platforms. Enable identity indicators, reporting features, and access restrictions in tools like Teams and Slack, and treat them as identity systems rather than just chat tools.  
4. Implement out-of-band push confirmation for high-risk requests. Authenticator-based confirmation defeats voice, video, and message impersonation because attackers rarely control multiple channels simultaneously.  
5. Move toward continuous identity validation. Identity should be reassessed as behavior and risk change, with step-up verification and session revocation for high-risk actions.  
6. Redesign training around identity safety. Teach employees how to verify people and requests, not just emails, and reward them for slowing down and confirming—even when it frustrates leadership.  

 Tune in weekly on Tuesdays at 6:30 am ET for more cybersecurity advice, and visit www.LMGsecurity.com if you need help with cybersecurity testing, advisory services, or training. 

Resources: 

CFO.com – Deepfake CFO Scam Costs Engineering Firm $25 Million  https://www.cfo.com/news/deepfake-cfo-hong-kong-25-million-fraud-cyber-crime/ 

Retool – MFA Isn’t MFA  https://retool.com/blog/mfa-isnt-mfa 

Sophos MDR tracks two ransomware campaigns using “email bombing,” Microsoft Teams “vishing”  https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2025/01/21/sophos-mdr-tracks-two-ransomware-campaigns-using-email-bombing-microsoft-teams-vishing/ 

Wired – Doxers Posing as Cops Are Tricking Big Tech Firms Into Sharing People’s Private Data  https://www.wired.com/story/doxers-posing-as-cops-are-tricking-big-tech-firms-into-sharing-peoples-private-data/ 

LMG Security – 5 New-ish Microsoft Security Features & What They Reveal About Today’s Threats  https://www.lmgsecurity.com/5-new-ish-microsoft-security-features-what-they-reveal-about-todays-threats/ 

We explore the rise of impersonation attacks inside collaboration platforms, the security implications of AI copilots like Microsoft Copilot and Gemini, and why identity boundaries and data governance are quickly becoming foundational to modern security programs. You’ll come away with a clear understanding of what these new-ish Microsoft features signal about the evolving threat landscape — and practical steps you can take today to strengthen your security posture. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Treat collaboration platforms as high-risk communication channels. Attackers increasingly use Teams, Slack, Zoom, and similar tools to impersonate coworkers or support staff, and organizations should help employees verify unexpected contacts just as rigorously as they verify email. 
2. Make it easy for users to report suspicious activity. Whether or not your platform offers a built-in reporting feature like Microsoft’s suspicious-call button, employees need a simple, well-understood way to escalate strange messages or calls inside collaboration tools. 
3. Monitor external collaboration for anomalies. Microsoft’s new anomaly report highlights a growing need across all ecosystems to watch for unexpected domains, unusual activity patterns, and impersonation attempts that occur through external collaboration channels. 
4. Classify and label sensitive data before enabling AI assistants. AI tools such as Copilot, Gemini, and Slack GPT inherit user permissions and may access far more information than intended if organizations haven’t established clear sensitivity labels and access boundaries. 
5. Enforce identity and tenant boundaries to limit data leakage. Features like Tenant Restrictions v2 demonstrate the importance of restricting where users can authenticate and ensuring that corporate data stays within approved environments. 
6. Update security training to reflect collaboration-era social engineering. Modern attacks frequently occur through chat messages, impersonated vendor accounts, malicious external domains, or voice/video calls, and training must evolve beyond traditional email-focused programs. 

Please follow our podcast for the latest cybersecurity advice, and visit us at www.LMGsecurity.com if you need help with technical testing, cybersecurity consulting, and training!

Resources Mentioned 

• Microsoft 365: Advancing Microsoft 365 – New Capabilities and Pricing Update: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/12/04/advancing-microsoft-365-new-capabilities-and-pricing-update/ 

• Microsoft 365 Roadmap – Suspicious Call Reporting (ID 536573): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=536573 

• Check Point Research: Exploiting Trust in Microsoft Teams: https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/exploiting-trust-in-collaboration-microsoft-teams-vulnerabilities-uncovered/ 
• Phishing Susceptibility Study (arXiv):  https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.27298 
• LMG Security Video: Email Bombing & IT Helpdesk Spoofing Attacks—How to Stop Them: https://www.lmgsecurity.com/videos/email-bombing-it-helpdesk-spoofing-attacks-how-to-stop-them/ 

Key Takeaways 

1. Audit and restrict browser extensions across the organization. Inventory all extensions in use, remove unnecessary ones, and enforce an allowlist through enterprise browser controls. 

2. Treat extensions as part of your software supply chain. Extensions can flip from safe to malicious overnight. Include them in risk assessments and governance processes. 

3. Detect and mitigate session hijacking. Monitor for unusual token reuse, shorten token lifetimes where possible, and watch for logins that bypass MFA. 

4. Enforce enterprise browser security controls. Use Chrome/Edge enterprise features or MDM to lock down permissions, block unapproved installations, and enable safe browsing modes. 

5. Reduce extension sprawl with policy and training. Educate employees that extensions carry real security risk. Require justification for new installations and empower IT to remove unnecessary ones. 

Please tune in weekly for more cybersecurity advice, and visit www.LMGsecurity.com if you need help with your cybersecurity testing, advisory services, and training. 

Resources: 

• KOI Intelligence (Original Research): https://www.koi.ai/blog/4-million-browsers-infected-inside-shadypanda-7-year-malware-campaign 

• Malwarebytes Labs Coverage: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/sleeper-browser-extensions-woke-up-as-spyware-on-4-million-devices 

• Infosecurity Magazine Article: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/shadypanda-infects-43m-chrome-edge/ 

#ShadyPanda #browserextension #browsersecurity #cybersecurity #cyberaware #infosec #cyberattacks #ciso

Key Takeaways 

1. Build a culture of ethics and make legal consequences explicit. Use real cases — Tesla, CrowdStrike, DigitalMint — to show employees that insider misconduct leads to indictments and prison time. Clear messaging, training, and leadership visibility reinforce deterrence.
2. Enforce least-privilege access and conduct quarterly access reviews. Limit who can view or modify sensitive dashboards, admin tools, and SSO consoles. Regular recertification ensures employees only retain the permissions they legitimately need.
3. Deploy screenshot prevention and data-leak controls across critical systems. Implement watermarking, VDI/browser isolation, screenshot detection, and DLP/CASB rules to deter and detect unauthorized capture or exfiltration of sensitive data.
4. Strengthen identity verification for remote and distributed employees. Use periodic identity rechecks and require company-managed, attested devices for sensitive roles. Prohibit personal-device access for privileged work to reduce impersonation risk.
5. Monitor high-risk users with behavior and anomaly analytics. Flag unusual patterns such as off-hours access, atypical data movement, sudden repository interest, or crypto-related activity on work devices. Behavioral analytics helps uncover malicious intent even when credentials appear valid.
6. Require your vendors to follow the same insider-threat safeguards you use internally. Ensure MSPs, SaaS providers, IR partners, and software vendors enforce strong access controls, identity verification, monitoring, and device security. Vendor insiders can quickly become your insiders.

Resources: 

• TechCrunch – CrowdStrike insider leak coverage: https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/21/crowdstrike-fires-suspicious-insider-who-passed-information-to-hackers/ 

• Reuters – DigitalMint ransomware indictment reporting: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-prosecutors-say-cybersecurity-pros-ran-cybercrime-operation-2025-11-03/ 

• BleepingComputer – North Korean fake remote worker scheme: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-arrests-key-facilitator-in-north-korean-it-worker-fraud-scheme/ 

• “Ransomware and Cyber Extortion: Response and Prevention” (Book by Sherri & Matt & Karen): https://www.amazon.com/Ransomware-Cyber-Extortion-Response-Prevention-ebook/dp/B09RV4FPP9 

• LMG’s Hiring Security Checklist: https://www.lmgsecurity.com/resources/hiring-security-checklist/ 

Want to attend a live version of Cyberside Chats? Visit us at https://www.lmgsecurity.com/lmg-resources/cyberside-chats-podcast/ to register for our next monthly live session. 

#insiderthreat #cybersecurity #cyberaware #cybersidechats #ransomware #ransomwareattack #crowdstrike #DigitalMint #tesla #remotework

We’ll break down new government warnings about hidden communication modules, rogue firmware, and “ghost devices” in imported tech—and how even trusted brands may ship products with risky components. Most importantly, we’ll share what you can do right now to identify exposure, strengthen procurement and third-party risk management (TPRM) processes, and protect your organization before the next breach or regulation hits. 

Join us live for a 25-minute deep dive plus Q&A—and find out whether your supply chain is truly secure… or “Made in China—and Hacked Everywhere.” 

Key Takeaways: 

1. Require an Access Bill of Materials (ABOM) for every connected device. Ask vendors to disclose all remote access paths, cloud services, SIMs/radios, update servers, and subcontractors. This is the most effective way to catch hidden modems, undocumented connectivity, or offshore control channels before procurement. 

2. Treat hardware procurement with the same rigor as software supply chain risk. Routers, cameras, inverters, and vehicles must be vetted like software: know the origin of components, how firmware is managed, and who can control or modify the device. This mindset shift prevents accidental onboarding of hidden risks. 

3. Establish and enforce a simple connected-device procurement policy. Set clear rules: no undocumented connectivity, no unmanaged remote access, no end-of-life firmware in new buys, and mandatory security review for all "smart" devices. This helps buyers avoid risky equipment even when budgets are tight. 

4. Reduce exposure through segmentation and access restrictions. Before replacing anything, isolate high-risk devices, block unnecessary outbound traffic, and disable vendor remote access. These low-cost steps significantly reduce exposure while giving you time to plan longer-term changes. 

5. Strengthen third-party risk management (TPRM) for vendors of connected equipment. Expand TPRM reviews to cover firmware integrity, logging, hosting jurisdictions, remote access practices, and subcontractors. This ensures your vendor ecosystem doesn't introduce avoidable hardware-level vulnerabilities. 

References: 

• Wall Street Journal (Nov 19, 2025) – “Can Chinese-Made Buses Be Hacked? Norway Drove One Down a Mine to Find Out.” (Chinese electric bus remote-disable and SIM access findings) 
• U.S. House Select Committee on China & House Homeland Security Committee (Sept 2024 Report) – Port Crane Security Assessment. (Unauthorized modems, supply-chain backdoors, and ZPMC risk findings) 
• FDA & CISA (Feb–Mar 2025) – Security Advisory: Contec CMS8000 Patient Monitor. (Backdoor enabling remote file execution and hidden network communications) 
• Anthropic (Nov 13, 2025) – “Disrupting the First Reported AI-Orchestrated Cyber Espionage Campaign.”  (China-linked AI-driven intrusion playbook and campaign analysis) 
• LMG Security (2025) – “9 Tips to Streamline Your Vendor Risk Management Program.”  https://www.lmgsecurity.com/9-tips-to-streamline-your-vendor-risk-management-program 

#chinesehackers #cybersecurity #infosec #LMGsecurity #ciso #TPRM #thirdpartyrisk #security

Key Takeaways – How to Defend Against the 2025 AI Fraud Boom 

1. Treat holiday scams as a business risk, not just a retail problem.  Automated bots, fake ads, and AI-generated phishing campaigns target your employees too — not just shoppers. Expect higher attack volume through the entire holiday season. 

1. Expect password reuse—and enforce strong MFA everywhere.  Employees will reuse personal shopping passwords at work. Require MFA on all accounts — especially SSO, admin, and vendor logins — and block reused credentials where possible. 

1. Filter out malicious ads and spoofed sites.  Use DNS and web filtering to block malvertising and look-alike domains. Encourage staff to verify URLs and avoid “too-good-to-be-true” promotions or charity appeals. 

1. Strengthen bot and fraud detection.  Tune WAF and bot-management tools to catch automated login attempts, fake account creation, and credential stuffing. These attacks spike before Black Friday and often continue into January. 

1. Run a short holiday security awareness push before Black Friday—and repeat before Christmas.  Brief all staff, especially finance and customer service, on seasonal scams: gift-card fraud, fake charities, refund and invoice scams, malvertising, and holiday-themed phishing.  

1. Remember: personal security is corporate security.  BYOD, home shopping, and password reuse mean an employee’s compromise can quickly become your organization’s compromise. Keep the message simple: protect your accounts, protect your company. 

Don't forget to follow us for more cybersecurity advice, and visit us at www.LMGsecurity.com for tip sheets, blogs, and more advice!

Resources: 

1. RH-ISAC — 2025 Holiday Season Cyber Threat Trends: https://rhisac.org/press-release/holiday-threats-2025/ (RH-ISAC)
2. Malwarebytes — Home Depot Halloween phish gives users a fright, not a freebie: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/10/home-depot-halloween-phish-gives-users-a-fright-not-a-freebie (Malwarebytes)
3. Bitdefender Labs — Trick or Treat: Bitdefender Labs Uncovers Halloween Scams Flooding Inboxes: https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/bitdefender-labs-uncovers-halloween-scams-flooding-inboxes-and-feeds (Bitdefender)
4. FBI / IC3 PSA — Hacker Com: Cyber Criminal Subset of The Com — background on The Com threat cluster referenced by RH-ISAC and seen in holiday fraud activity: https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250723 (Internet Crime Complaint Center)
5. Fast Company — Holiday season cybersecurity lessons: The vulnerability of the retail workforce: https://www.fastcompany.com/91270554/holiday-season-cybersecurity-lessons-the-vulnerability-of-the-retail-workforce (Fast Company) 

 #HolidayScams #Phishing #Malvertising #Cybersecurity #Cyberaware #SMB #BlackFridayScams

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin dig into the cybersecurity lessons behind the Louvre’s seven-minute robbery. They explore how outdated infrastructure, poor vendor oversight, and default credentials mirror the same risks plaguing modern organizations — from hospitals to banks. 

Listen as Sherri and Matt connect the dots between a world-famous museum and your own IT environment — and share practical steps to keep your organization from becoming the next headline. 

Key Takeaways 

• Audit for weak and shared passwords. Regularly scan for shared, default, or vendor credentials. Replace them with strong, unique, role-based passwords and enforce MFA across administrative and vendor accounts. 

• Conduct regular penetration tests and track remediation. Perform annual or semiannual pen tests that include internal movement and segmentation checks. Assign owners for every finding, set deadlines, and verify fixes. 

• Vet and contractually bind third-party vendors. Require patching and OS update clauses in vendor contracts, and verify each vendor’s security practices through audits or reports such as SOC 2. 

• Integrate IT and physical security. Coordinate teams so camera, badge, and alarm systems receive the same cybersecurity oversight as IT systems. Check for remote access exposure and outdated credentials. 

• Plan for legacy system containment. Identify unsupported systems, isolate them on segmented networks, and add compensating controls. Build a phased replacement roadmap tied to budget and risk. 

• Create a continuous audit and feedback loop. Assign clear ownership for all audit findings and track progress. Escalate unresolved risks to leadership to maintain visibility and accountability. 

• Control your media communications. Limit access to sensitive reports and train staff to prevent leaks. Manage breach-related communications strategically to protect reputation and trust. 

Don't forget to follow us for weekly expert cybersecurity insights on today's threats.

Resources 

Libération / CheckNews – “Louvre as a password, outdated software, impossible updates…” (Nov. 1, 2025) 

CNET – “You probably have a better password than the Louvre did — learn from its mistake.” (Nov. 2025) 

YouTube – Hank Green interviews Sherri Davidoff on the Louvre Heist 

LMG Security – “How Hackers Turned Cameras into Crypto Miners” (Scientific American) 

#louvreheist #cybersecurity #cyberaware #password #infosec #ciso 

Whether you’re a security leader, risk manager, or seasoned IT pro, you’ll walk away with clear, practical steps to reduce exposure and strengthen your defenses against the poisoned web. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS  

1. Block and filter ad content at the enterprise level. Use enterprise web proxies, browser controls, and DNS filtering to block sponsored results and malicious domains tied to critical business tools or portals.  
2. Establish and enforce trusted download paths. Require that all software come from signed, verified, or internal repositories — not search results.  Enforce application whitelisting so only verified executables can run — this blocks malicious installers even if a user downloads them. 
3. Incorporate poisoned-search scenarios into training and awareness materials. Teach staff to type trusted URLs, use bookmarks, or access internal portals directly rather than searching. 
4. Assess search behavior across your organization. Track how users find tools and portals — are they typing URLs, using bookmarks, or searching externally? Use this data to identify high-risk departments or roles and tailor awareness campaigns accordingly. Over time, shift culture toward safer, more deliberate browsing habits.  
5. Expand monitoring and detection. Hunt for persistence artifacts linked to poisoned-download infections, such as new scheduled tasks, DLL registrations, or rundll32.exe activity. Flag software installs originating from search-referral URLs in your EDR and SIEM. 
6. Conduct tabletop exercises that include search poisoning. Simulate incidents where employees download fake software or fall for poisoned ads. Practice tracing attacks back to SEO poisoning, identifying other potential victims, and developing plans to block future attacks through technical and policy controls. 

Please like and subscribe for more cybersecurity content, and visit us at www.LMGsecurity.com if you need help with cybersecurity, training, testing, or policy development. 

Resources & References 

• Blackpoint Cyber SOC: Malicious Teams Installers Drop Oyster Malware 

• BleepingComputer: Fake Microsoft Teams Installers Push Oyster Malware via Malvertising 

• Netskope: Cloud & Threat Report 2025 

• Netskope Press Release: Phishing Clicks Nearly Tripled in 2024 

• Malwarebytes: Scammers Hijack Websites of Bank of America, Netflix, Microsoft, and More to Insert Fake Phone Numbers 

• Silent Push: Payroll Pirates: How Attackers Hijack Employee Payments 

• KnowBe4: Phishing Attacks Hijack Employee Payments 

In this episode, Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin break down what really happened inside AWS’s U.S.-East-1 region, why one glitch in a database called DynamoDB cascaded across the globe, and what it teaches us about the growing risk from invisible “fourth-party” dependencies that lurk deep in our digital supply chains. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Map and monitor your vendor ecosystem — Identify both third- and fourth-party dependencies and track their health. 
2. Require vendors to disclose key dependencies — Request a “digital bill of materials” that identifies their critical cloud and service providers. 
3. Diversify critical workloads — Don’t rely on a single hyperscaler region or platform for mission-critical services. 
4. Integrate vendor outages into incident response playbooks — Treat SaaS and cloud downtime as security events with defined response paths. 
5. Test your resilience under real-world conditions — Simulate large-scale SaaS or cloud failures in tabletop exercises. 

Resources: 

• https://www.wired.com/story/what-that-huge-aws-outage-reveals-about-the-internet 

• https://www.LMGsecurity.com/our-q3-2024-top-control-is-third-party-risk-management-lessons-from-the-crowdstrike-outage/ 

• https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/aws-outage-cybersecurity-risk/ 

• https://ccianet.org/wp-content/uploads/2003/09/cyberinsecurity%20the%20cost%20of%20monopoly.pdf

#cybersecurity #thirdpartyrisk #riskmanagement #infosec #ciso #cyberaware #Fourthpartyrisk #cybersidechats #lmgsecurity #aws #awsoutage

They share practical insights on how organizations can strengthen resilience, secure supply chains, and prepare for the next wave of operational ransomware attacks. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Patch and prioritize.  Focus on fixing known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) and critical  flaws before attackers do. 

1. Monitor your vendors continuously.  Move beyond annual questionnaires — use ongoing, data-driven monitoring to identify risk in your supply chain. 

1. Segment IT and OT networks.  Strong isolation can contain ransomware and prevent complete production shutdowns. 

1. Invest in detection and response.  Around-the-clock monitoring (MDR or SOC) can detect early-stage activity before encryption starts. 

1. Practice recovery.  Test isolation, backup, and restoration processes regularly — and include your leadership team in realistic tabletop exercises. 

References & Further Reading 

• Sophos – State of Ransomware 2025 (June 2025) 

• Black Kite – Manufacturing TPRM Report 2025 

• The Guardian – “Jaguar Land Rover Hack Shuts Factories After Cyberattack” 

• Reuters – “JLR to Restart Some Manufacturing After Six-Week Shutdown” 

• Dark Reading – Ransomware in Manufacturing: An Escalating Battle 

• LMG Security – Ransomware Prevention Best Practices Checklist 

Top Takeaways

• Lead With Why: Start with impact and consequences before discussing tools or features.
• Use Stories, Not Just Stats: Connect technical points to human experiences that make the message memorable.
• Run the “So What?” Test: Always link facts and advice to why they matter for that specific audience.
• Balance Fear With Agency: Create urgency without hopelessness — show clear, achievable actions.
• Mix Communication Methods: Blend stories, visuals, simulations, and discussion to sustain engagement.
• Communication is a Security Control: If people don’t understand why something matters, adoption and compliance will suffer.

#cybersecurity #cyberawareness #cyberaware #training #technicaltraining #ciso #cybersecuritytraining #CybersideChats #LMGsecurity

Key Takeaways: 

• Strengthen threat intelligence pipelines: Don’t rely solely on AIS or your vendor. Ask providers how they source threat intel and diversify feeds. 

• Review liability exposure: With CISA expired, safe harbors are gone — consult counsel before sharing. 

• Plan for reduced visibility: Run tabletop exercises simulating loss of upstream intel. 

• Get proactive about information exchange: Join ISACs, ISAOs, or local peer groups — and contribute, not just consume. 

Resources: 

• Reuters: Industry groups worry about cyber info-sharing as key U.S. law set to expire 

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Letter to Congress on CISA 2015 

• Baker McKenzie: CISA Liability Protections Terminate — What Legal & Infosec Need to Know 

• Cyberside Chats: Executive Order Shockwave: The Future of Cybersecurity Unveiled 

#CybersideChats #CISA #CISO #cybersecurity #infosec

Key Takeaways: 

• Lock down your help desk. Require strong, multi-step verification before resetting accounts, and monitor for suspicious or unusual requests. 

• Prepare for ransom decisions. Develop playbooks that model both paying and refusing, so leadership understands the financial and operational tradeoffs before an incident hits. 

• Get proactive on insider risk. Teens and early-career workers are being recruited in open forums like Telegram and Discord — build awareness and detection into your insider risk program. 

• Pressure-test your MFA. Don’t just roll it out — simulate how attackers might bypass or trick staff into resetting it. 

• Educate your team on voice social engineering. Scattered Spider relied on phone-based tactics; training staff to recognize and resist them is critical. (LMG Security offers targeted social engineering training to help your team prepare.) 

Resources: 

• BleepingComputer: “US charges UK teen over Scattered Spider hacks including US Courts” https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/uk-arrests-scattered-spider-teens-linked-to-transport-for-london-hack/ 

• “The Rabbit Hole Beneath the Crypto Couple is Endless” https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-rabbithole-beneath-the-crypto-couple-is-endless 

• MGM Breach: A Wake-up Call for Better Social Engineering Training for Employees https://www.lmgsecurity.com/2023-mgm-breach-a-wake-up-call-for-better-social-engineering-training-for-employees/ 

• DOJ press release on the indictment of five Scattered Spider members (Nov 2024) – https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/5-defendants-charged-federally-running-scheme-targeted-victim-companies-phishing-text  

• DOJ press release on UK national Thalha Jubair charged in multiple attacks (Sept 2025) – https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-kingdom-national-charged-connection-multiple-cyber-attacks-including-critical  

#cyberattack #cybersecurity #cybercrime #informationsecurity #infosec #databreach #databreaches #ScatteredSpider 

Key Takeaways 

1. Establish ground rules for AI use  
   • Even if you don’t have developers, employees may experiment with AI tools. Set a policy for how (or if) AI can be used for coding, automation, or day-to-day tasks.  
   • Make sure staff understand not to paste sensitive data (like credentials or customer info) into AI tools. 
2. Strengthen your software supply chain  
   • If you rely on vendors or contractors, ask them whether they use AI in their development process and how they vet the resulting code.  
   • Request (or create) an inventory of software components and dependencies (SBOMs) so you know what’s inside the software you buy.  
   • Stay alert to supply chain risks from open-source code or third-party add-ons. 
3. Treat your endpoints like crown jewels  
   • Limit what software employees can install, especially IT staff.  
   • Provide a safe “sandbox” machine for testing unfamiliar tools instead of using production systems.
   • Apply strong endpoint protection and restrict administrative privileges. 
4. Prepare for AI-related incidents  
   • Include scenarios where AI is part of the attack, such as compromised development tools, malicious packages, or data fed into rogue AI systems.  
   • Plan for vendor incidents, since third-party software providers may be the first link in a compromise.  
   • Test these scenarios through tabletop exercises so your team knows how to respond. 

References 

• Malwarebytes — Claude AI chatbot abused to launch cybercrime spree (Aug 2025): https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/08/claude-ai-chatbot-abused-to-launch-cybercrime-spree 

• Trend Micro / Industrial Cyber — EvilAI malware campaign exploits AI-generated code to breach global critical sectors (Aug 2025): https://industrialcyber.co/ransomware/evilai-malware-campaign-exploits-ai-generated-code-to-breach-global-critical-sectors/ 

• The Hacker News — Cursor AI code editor flaw enables silent code execution on developer systems (Sept 2025): https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/cursor-ai-code-editor-flaw-enables.html 

• PCWorld — I saw how an “evil” AI chatbot finds vulnerabilities. It’s as scary as you think (May 2025): https://www.pcworld.com/article/2424205/i-saw-how-an-evil-ai-chatbot-finds-vulnerabilities-its-as-scary-as-you-think.html 

#AIhacking #AIcoding #vibehacking #vibecoding #cyberattack #cybersecurity #infosec #informationsecurity #datasecurity 

In Part 2, Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin dig into the latest updates: what’s new in the investigation, why more victim disclosures are coming, and how the GitHub compromise ties into a wider trend of supply chain attacks like GhostAction. They also share practical advice for what to do if you’ve been impacted by Drift — or if you want to prepare for the next third-party SaaS compromise. 

Tips for SaaS Incident Response: 

1. Treat this as an incident: don’t wait for vendor confirmation before acting. There may be delays in vendor disclosure, so act quickly. 
2. Notify your cyber insurance provider: 
   • Provide notice as soon as possible. 
   • Insurers may share early IOCs, coordinate with vendors, and advocate for your org alongside other affected clients. 
   • They can also connect you with funded IR and legal resources. 
3. Engage external support: 
   • Bring in your IR firm to investigate and document. 
   • Work with legal counsel to determine if notification obligations are triggered. 
4. Revoke and rotate credentials: 
   • Cycle API keys, OAuth tokens, and active sessions. 
   • Rotate credentials for connected service accounts. 
5. Inventory your data: 
   • Identify what sensitive Salesforce (or other SaaS) data is stored. 
   • Check whether support tickets, logs, or credentials were included. 
6. Search for attacker activity: 
   • Review advisories for malicious IPs, user agents, and behaviors. 
   • Don’t rely solely on vendor-published IOCs — they may be incomplete. 

References: 

• Google Cloud Threat Intelligence Blog – Data theft in Salesforce instances via Salesloft Drift 

• BleepingComputer – Salesloft March GitHub repo breach led to Salesforce data theft attacks 

• Dark Reading – Salesloft breached GitHub account compromise 

• BleepingComputer – Hackers steal 3,325 secrets in GhostAction GitHub supply chain attack 

• LMG Security Blog – Third-Party Risk Management Lessons 

#salesforcehack #salesforce #SalesforceDrift #cybersecurity #cyberattack #databreaches #datasecurity #infosec #informationsecurity

Key Takeaways 

• Ensure Vendors Conduct Rigorous Technical Security Testing – Require penetration tests and attestations from third- and fourth-party SaaS providers. 

• Limit App Permissions to “Least Privilege” – Scope connected apps only to the fields and objects they truly need. 

• Implement Regular Key Rotation – Automate key rotation with vendor tools (e.g., AWS recommends every 60–90 days) to reduce the risk of leaked or stolen keys. 

• Monitor for Data Exfiltration – Watch for unusual queries, spikes in API usage, or large Bulk API jobs. 

• Limit Data Exfiltration Destinations – Restrict where exports and API jobs can go (approved IPs or managed locations). 

• Integrate SaaS Risks into Your Incident Response Plan – Include guidance on rapidly revoking or rotating OAuth tokens and keys after a compromise. 

References 

1. Google Threat Intelligence Group advisory on UNC6395 / Drift OAuth compromise 
2. Cloudflare disclosure on the Drift incident 
3. Zscaler security advisory on Drift-related Salesforce breach 
4. LMG Security Blog – Third-Party Risk Management Lessons 

#Salesforcehack #SalesforceDrift #cybersecurity #cyberattack #cyberaware

Key Takeaways   

1. Don’t mythologize adversaries. State actors and ransomware gangs are fallible; design defenses to exploit their mistakes.  
2. Invest in visibility. Many hacker exposures happened because attackers reused credentials, tools, or infrastructure — the same patterns defenders can detect if monitoring is strong.  
3. Watch for insider threats. Disgruntled employees or partners can dismantle even powerful groups — monitor for early warning signs.  
4. Use leaks for training and education. Incorporate hacker chat logs, playbooks, and leaked toolkits into exercises to build staff skills and awareness.  
5. Adapt your IR playbooks. Align response plans with real-world attacker tactics revealed in leaks — and be ready to update as new intelligence emerges.  

Resources 

• TechCrunch: Hackers Breach and Expose a Major North Korean Spying Operation 
• TheRegister: Congressman proposes bringing back letters of marque for cyber privateers 
• LMG Security: Our Q3 2024 Top Control is Third-Party Risk Management 

#Cybersecurity #Cybercrime #CybersideChats #Cyberattack #Hackers #Hacker

But the real story isn’t just about geopolitics. It’s about how unmanaged printers—at hotels, in home offices, and everywhere in between—remain one of the most overlooked backdoors for data leaks. In this episode of Cyberside Chats, Sherri and Matt unpack the Alaska incident, explore why printers are still a weak spot in the age of remote and traveling workforces, and share practical steps to secure them. 

Key Takeaways for Security & IT Leaders 

1. Reduce reliance on unmanaged printers by promoting secure digital workflows. Encourage employees to use e-signatures and encrypted file sharing instead of printing. 
2. Update remote work policies to cover home and travel printing. Most organizations don’t monitor printing outside the office—explicit rules reduce blind spots. 
3. Require secure wiping or destruction of printer hard drives before disposal. Printers retain sensitive files and credentials, which can walk out the door if not properly handled. 
4. Implement secure enterprise printing with authenticated release and HDD encryption. Treat printers as endpoints and apply the same safeguards you would for laptops.
5. Train employees to recognize that printers are data risks, not just office equipment. Awareness helps prevent careless mistakes like walk-away leaks or using hotel printers. 

Resources 

• NPR: Trump–Putin Summit Documents Left Behind in Anchorage Hotel Printer (2025) 

• Dark Reading: “Printers’ Cybersecurity Threats Too Often Ignored”  

• LMG Security: “Work from Home Cybersecurity Checklist” 

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin break down how the attackers pulled off one of the most sweeping cloud compromise campaigns in recent memory — using no zero-day exploits, just convincing phone calls, malicious connected apps, and gaps in cloud supply chain security. 

We’ll explore the attack timeline, parallels to the Snowflake breaches, ties to the Scattered Spider crew, and the lessons security leaders need to act on right now. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Use phishing-resistant MFA — FIDO2 keys, passkeys. 

1. Train for vishing resistance — simulate phone-based social engineering. 

1. Monitor for abnormal data exports from SaaS platforms. 

1. Lockdown your Salesforce platform — vet and limit connected apps. 

1. Rehearse rapid containment — revoke OAuth tokens, disable accounts fast. 

References 

• Google - The Cost of a Call: From Voice Phishing to Data Extortion  

• Salesforce – Protect Your Salesforce Environment from Social Engineering Threats 

• BleepingComputer – ShinyHunters behind Salesforce data theft at Qantas, Allianz Life, LVMH 

• TechRadar – Google says hackers stole some of its data following Salesforce breach 

• LMG Security Blog – Our Q3 2024 Top Control is Third Party Risk Management: Lessons from the CrowdStrike Outage 

Using AI-generated résumés, real-time deepfake interviews, and U.S.-based “laptop farms,” DPRK operatives are gaining legitimate employment inside U.S. companies — funding nuclear weapons programs and potentially opening doors to cyber espionage. 

We’ll cover the recent U.S. sanctions, the Christina Chapman laptop farm case, and the latest intelligence from CrowdStrike on FAMOUS CHOLLIMA — plus, we’ll give you specific, actionable ways to harden your hiring process and catch these threats before they embed inside your network. 

Actionable Takeaways for Defenders 

1. Verify Beyond the Résumé:Pair government ID checks with independent work history and social profile verification. Use services to flag synthetic or stolen identities.
2. Deepfake-Proof Interviews:Add unscripted, live identity challenges during video calls (lighting changes, head turns, holding ID on camera).
3. Geolocation & Device Monitoring: Implement controls to detect impossible travel, VPN/geolocation masking, and multiple logins from the same endpoint for different accounts.
4. Watch for Multi-Job Signals: Monitor productivity patterns and unusual scheduling; red flags include unexplained work delays, identical deliverables across projects, or heavy reliance on AI-generated output.
5. Hold Your Vendors to the Same Standard: Ensure tech vendors and contractors use equivalent vetting, monitoring, and access control measures. Bake these requirements into contracts and third-party risk assessments. 

References

• U.S. Treasury Press Release – Sanctions on DPRK IT Worker Scheme 
• CrowdStrike 2025 Threat Hunting Report – Profile of FAMOUS CHOLLIMA’s AI-powered infiltration methods 
• National Social Engineering Day – KnowBe4 Announcement Honoring Kevin Mitnick 

Join hosts Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin as they unpack how a misconfigured GitHub token allowed a hacker to inject destructive AI commands into a popular developer tool. We’ll walk through exactly what happened, how GitHub security missteps enabled the attack, and why this incident is a critical wake-up call for supply chain security and AI tool governance.

We’ll also spotlight other supply chain breaches like the SolarWinds Orion backdoor and XZ Utils compromise, plus AI tool mishaps where “helpful” assistants caused real-world damage. If your organization uses AI developer tools—or works with third-party software vendors—this episode is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways: ▪ Don’t Assume AI Tools Are Safe Just Because They’re Popular Amazon Q had nearly a million installs—and it still shipped with malicious code. Before adopting any AI-based tools (like Copilot, Q, or Gemini), vet their permissions, access scope, and how updates are managed.

▪ Ask Your Software Vendors About Their Supply Chain Security If you rely on third-party developers or vendors, request details on how they manage build pipelines, review code changes, and prevent unauthorized commits. A compromised vendor can put your entire environment at risk.

▪ Hold Vendors Accountable for Secure Development Practices Ask whether your vendors enforce commit signing, use GitHub security features (like push protection and secret scanning), and apply multi-person code review processes. If they can't answer, that's a red flag.

▪ Be Wary of Giving AI Assistants Too Much Access Whether it’s an AI chatbot that can write config files or a developer tool that interacts with production environments, limit access. Always sandbox and monitor AI-integrated tools, and avoid letting them make direct changes.

▪ Prepare to Hear About Breaches From the Outside Just like Amazon only found out about the malicious code in Q after security researchers reported it, many organizations won’t catch third-party security issues internally. Make sure you have monitoring tools, vendor communication protocols, and incident response processes in place.

▪ If You Develop Code Internally, Lock Down Your Build Pipeline The Amazon Q hack happened because of a misconfigured GitHub token in a CI workflow. If you’re building your own code, review permissions on GitHub tokens, enforce branch protections, and require signed commits to prevent unauthorized changes from slipping into production. #Cybersecurity #SupplyChainSecurity #AItools #DevSecOps #AmazonQHack #GitHubSecurity #Infosec #CybersideChats #LMGSecurity

Key Takeaways for Cybersecurity Leaders 

• Patch Internet-Facing Systems Promptly: Iranian attackers frequently exploit unpatched systems—especially VPNs, SharePoint, and other perimeter-facing tools. Microsoft’s July Patch Tuesday alone included 137 vulnerabilities, including actively exploited zero-days. Stay current to avoid being an easy target. 

• Implement Phishing-Resistant Multifactor Authentication (MFA): Groups like Charming Kitten are leveraging generative AI to craft convincing spear phishing emails. Use MFA methods such as FIDO2 security keys, biometrics, or passkeys. Avoid push fatigue, SMS codes, or email-based MFA which are easily phished or bypassed. 

• Segment and Secure Critical IT & OT Systems: Assume attackers will get in. Segment IT from OT networks (especially SCADA/ICS environments) and limit lateral movement. Iranian campaigns have crossed into OT, targeting backups and sabotaging ICS operations. 

• Maintain Robust, Tested Backup and Recovery Systems: Wiper malware and ransomware deployed by Iranian groups have destroyed both live data and backups. Use immutable or offline backups, and test full restores. Automate reimaging processes to ensure rapid recovery at scale. 

• Raise Awareness Against Sophisticated Social Engineering: Train staff to recognize AI-generated phishing and deepfake audio/video attacks. Iran has used deepfakes to spread disinformation and influence public perception. Show your team what deepfakes look and sound like so they can spot them in the wild. 

Resources & References 

CISA/FBI/NSA Joint Advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/joint-fact-sheet-Iranian-cyber-actors-may-target-vulnerable-US-networks-and-entities-of-interest-508c-1.pdf 

Unit 42 Report: https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/iranian-cyberattacks-2025/ 

Deepwatch Threat Intel: https://www.deepwatch.com/labs/customer-advisory-elevated-iranian-cyber-activity-post-u-s-strikes/ 

LMG Security – Defending Against Generative AI Attacks: https://lmgsecurity.com/defend-against-generative-ai-attacks/ 

#cybersecurity #cybercrime #cyberattack #cyberaware #cyberthreats #ciso #itsecurity #infosec #infosecurity #riskmanagement

In this episode of Cyberside Chats, we examine how a single leaked credential became a national-level risk—and how it mirrors broader API key exposures at BeyondTrust and across GitHub. LMG Security’s Director of Penetration Testing, Tom Pohl, shares red team insights on how embedded secrets give attackers a foothold—and what CISOs must do now to reduce their exposure. 

Key Takeaways: 

1. Treat leaked API keys like a full-blown incident—whether it’s your code or a vendor’s.

 Monitor for exposure and misuse. Include secrets in IR playbooks—even when it’s third-party code. 

2. Ask your vendors the hard questions about secrets management.

 Do they rotate keys? Use a secrets manager? How quickly can they revoke? 

3. Scan your environment for exposed secrets, even if you don’t develop software.

 Look for credentials in cloud configs, automation, scripts, SaaS tools. 

4. Make sure your penetration testing team searches for secrets as part of their processes.

Secrets can show up in unexpected places—firmware, config files, build artifacts. Your red team or vendor should actively hunt for exposed keys, hardcoded credentials, and reused certs across applications, infrastructure, and third-party tools. 

5. Train your IT staff and developers to remove secrets from code and automate detection.

 Use GitGuardian, TruffleHog, and a secrets manager like AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault. 

References: 

• Exposed Secrets, Broken Trust: What the DOGE API Key Leak Teaches Us About Software Security – LMG Security: https://www.LMGsecurity.com/exposed-secrets-broken-trust-what-the-doge-api-key-leak-teaches-us-about-software-security/ 

• "Private Keys in Public Places”  - DEFCON talk by Tom Pohl, LMG Security: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t_ntuSXniw 

• DOGE employee leaks private xAI API key from sensitive database – TechRadar: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/doge-employee-with-sensitive-database-access-leaks-private-xai-api-key 

#DOGEleak #cybersecurity #cybersecurityawareness #ciso #infosec #itsecurity

1. Treat Holiday Weekends as Elevated Threat Windows Plan and staff accordingly. Threat actors deliberately strike when visibility and response capacity are lowest—your incident response posture should reflect that heightened risk.
2. Establish and Test Off-Hours Response Plans Ensure escalation paths, contact protocols, and technical procedures are defined, reachable, and tested for weekends and holidays. On-call responsibilities should be clearly assigned with appropriate backups.
3. Reduce Your Attack Surface and Harden Perimeter Before the Break Conduct targeted patching, vulnerability scans, and privilege reviews in the days leading up to any holiday period. Temporarily disable or restrict non-essential access and remote administration rights.
4. Practice Incident Response Tabletop Exercises With Holiday Timing in Mind Simulate scenarios that unfold over weekends or during staff absences to uncover timing-based gaps in coverage, decision-making, or escalation. Make sure playbooks account for limited availability and stress-test your team’s ability to respond under real-world holiday constraints.
5. Communicate Expectations Across the Organization and With 3rd Parties Brief relevant teams (not just security) on the increased risk. Reinforce secure behaviors, clarify how to report suspicious activity, and keep business units informed about potential delays or escalation protocols. Talk with your MSP and other 3rd party vendors to ensure they have consistent monitoring and know who to contact if there is an incident (and vice versa).

• MOVEit Data Breach Timeline – Rapid7
• Kaseya Ransomware Attack Explained – Varonis
• Bangladesh Bank Heist – Darknet Diaries Episode 72
• Tabletop Exercises & Incident Response Planning – LMG Security

#cybersecurity #dfir #incidentresponse #ciso #cybersidechats #cybersecurityleadership #infosec #itsecurity #cyberaware

1. Don’t Drop SBOMs or Attestations — Build Them Into Contracts Anyway Even without a federal requirement, insist on SBOMs and secure development attestations in vendor agreements. Transparency reduces your risk.
2. Re-Evaluate Third-Party Software Risk Practices Now With no centralized validation, it's up to you to verify vendors' claims. Strengthen your third-party risk management processes accordingly.
3. Watch for Gaps in MFA, Encryption, and Identity Standards Don’t assume basic protections are baked in. Federal rollback may signal declining baseline expectations—so enforce your own.
4. Prepare for Industry-Led Enforcement — From Insurers, Buyers, and Info-Sharing Groups Expect cyber insurers, large enterprises, ISACs/ISAOs, and professional groups to lead on software transparency. Get ahead by aligning now.

Resources:

1. Full Text of the June 6, 2025 Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/sustaining-select-efforts-to-strengthen-the-nations-cybersecurity-and-amending-executive-order-13694-and-executive-order-14144

2. LMG Security: Software Supply Chain Security – Understanding and Mitigating Major Risks: https://www.lmgsecurity.com/software-supply-chain-security-understanding-and-mitigating-major-risks/

3. The Record’s Breakdown: Trump Order Rolls Back Key Federal Cybersecurity Rules: https://therecord.media/trump-cybersecurity-executive-order-june-2025

In this episode, we dive into the rise of data-only extortion campaigns and explore why encryption is becoming optional for cybercriminals. From real-world trends like the rebrand of Hunters International to “World Leaks,” to the strategic impact on insurance, PR, and compliance—this is a wake-up call for security teams everywhere. 

If your playbook still ends with “just restore from backup,” you’re not ready. 

Takeaways for Security Teams: 

• Rethink detection: Focus on exfiltration, not just malware. 

• Update tabletop exercises: Include public leaks, media scrutiny, and regulatory responses. 

• Review insurance policies: Ensure data-only extortion is covered, not just encryption events. 

• Prepare execs and PR: Modern extortion targets reputation and compliance pressure points. 

Resources & Mentions: 

• https://www.coveware.com/ransomware-quarterly-reports 

• Security Boulevard: Hunters International Rebrands as World Leaks:  

• https://attack.mitre.org/resources/ 

• LMG Security 

They also share a real-world discovery from LMG Security’s pen testing team: how prompt injection was used to extract system prompts and override behavior in a live web application. With examples ranging from corporate chatbots to real-world misfires at Samsung and Chevrolet, this episode unpacks what happens when AI is left untested—and why your security strategy must adapt. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Limit and review the data sources your LLM can access—ensure it doesn’t blindly ingest untrusted content like inbound email, shared docs, or web links. 

1. Audit AI integrations for prompt injection risks—treat language inputs like code and include them in standard threat models. 

1. Add prompt injection testing to every web app and email flow assessment, even if you’re using trusted APIs or cloud-hosted models. 

1. Red-team your LLM tools using subtle, natural-sounding prompts—not just obvious attack phrases. 

1. Monitor and restrict outbound links from AI-generated content, and validate any use of CSP-approved domains like Microsoft Teams. 

Resources 

• EchoLeak technical breakdown by Aim Security 

• LMG Security Blog: Prompt Injection in Web Apps 

• Chevrolet chatbot tricked into $1 car deal 

• Microsoft 365 Copilot Overview 

#EchoLeak #Cybersecurity #Cyberaware #CISO #Microsoft #Microsoft365 #Copilot #AI #GenAI #AIsecurity #RiskManagement

Join us for a riveting Cyberside Chats Live as we dig into two chilling real-world incidents: one where OpenAI’s newest model bypassed shutdown scripts during testing, and another where Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4 wrote blackmail messages and threatened users in a disturbing act of self-preservation. These aren’t sci-fi hypotheticals—they’re recent findings from leading AI safety researchers.  We’ll unpack: 

• The rise of high-agency behavior in LLMs 

• The shocking findings from Apollo Research and Anthropic 

• What security teams must do to adapt their threat models and controls 

• Why trust, verification, and access control now apply to your AI 

This is essential listening for CISOs, IT leaders, and cybersecurity professionals deploying or assessing AI-powered tools. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Restrict model access using role-based controls.   Limit what AI systems can see and do—apply the principle of least privilege to prompts, data, and tool integrations. 

1. Monitor and log all AI inputs and outputs.   Treat LLM interactions like sensitive API calls: log them, inspect for anomalies, and establish retention policies for auditability. 

1. Implement output validation for critical tasks.   Don’t blindly trust AI decisions—use secondary checks, hashes, or human review for rankings, alerts, or workflow actions. 

1. Deploy kill-switches outside of model control.   Ensure that shutdown or rollback functions are governed by external orchestration—not exposed in the AI’s own prompt space or toolset. 

1. Add AI behavior reviews to your incident response and risk processes.   Red team your models. Include AI behavior in tabletop exercises. Review logs not just for attacks on AI, but misbehavior by AI. 

Resources 

• Apollo Research: Frontier Models Are Capable of In-Context Scheming (arXiv) 

• Anthropic Claude 4 System Card (PDF) 

• Time Magazine: “When AI Thinks It Will Lose, It Sometimes Cheats” 

• WIRED: Claude 4 Whistleblower Behavior 

• Deception Abilities in Large Language Models (ResearchGate)

#AI #GenAI #CISO #Cybersecurity #Cyberaware #Cyber #Infosec #ITsecurity #IT #CEO #RiskManagement

Key Takeaways

1. Redefine what “sensitive data” means. Names, emails, and access tokens are often more valuable to attackers than payment data.
2. Scrutinize third-party and SaaS access. You can’t protect what you don’t know is exposed.
3. Monitor and protect customer-facing systems. Logging, anomaly detection, and fast response are essential for accounts and APIs — especially when attackers target credentials.
4. Test your incident response plan for downtime. Retail isn’t the only sector where uptime = revenue and lives impacted.

Resources

2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report: https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/

Victoria’s Secret security incident coverage: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/victorias-secret-takes-down-website-after-security-incident/

LMG Security: Third-Party Risk Assessments: https://lmgsecurity.com/third-party-risk-assessments/

Tom shares the most common weak points his team exploits, from insecure default Active Directory settings to overlooked misconfigurations that persist in even the most mature environments. We’ll break down how features like SMB signing, legacy broadcast protocols, and other out-of-the-box settings designed for ease, not security, can quietly open the door for attackers—and what security leaders can do today to shut those doors for good. 

Whether you're preparing for your next pentest or hardening your infrastructure against advanced threats, this is a must-watch for CISOs, IT leaders, and anyone responsible for securing Windows networks. 

Takeaways: 

1. Eliminate Default Credentials: Regularly audit and replace default logins on network-connected devices, including UPS units, printers, cameras, and other infrastructure. 
2. Harden AD Certificate Services: Review certificate template permissions and AD CS configurations to block known exploitation paths that enable privilege escalation. 
3. Enforce SMB Signing Everywhere: Enable and enforce both client and server SMB signing via Group Policy to prevent authentication relay attacks. 
4. Clean Up File Shares: Scan internal shares for exposed passwords, scripts, and sensitive data, then implement role-based access control by locking down permissions and eliminating unnecessary access.  
5. Disable Legacy Protocols: Turn off LLMNR, NetBIOS, and similar legacy protocols to reduce the risk of spoofing and name service poisoning attacks. 

References: 

“Critical Windows Server 2025 DMSA Vulnerability Exposes Enterprises to Domain Compromise” (The Hacker News) 

https://thehackernews.com/2025/05/critical-windows-server-2025-dmsa.html 

“Russian GRU Cyber Actors Targeting Western Logistics Entities and Tech Companies” (CISA Alert) 

https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2025/05/21/russian-gru-cyber-actors-targeting-western-logistics-entities-and-tech-companies 

LMG Security – Penetration Testing Services (Identify weaknesses before attackers do) 

https://www.lmgsecurity.com/services/penetration-testing/ 

Takeaways 

1) Take a Digital Inventory of Your Assets 

• Include details like account recovery options, two-factor authentication settings, and related devices. 

• Update the inventory regularly and store it securely. 

• Create a comprehensive list of your digital assets, including accounts, devices, files, cloud services, and subscriptions. 

2) Implement Emergency Access Protocols in Password Managers 

• Use features like 1Password’s Emergency Kit or designate trusted emergency contacts. 

• Store emergency credentials securely (e.g., safe deposit box) and reference in legal documents. 

• Ensure all critical credentials are actually stored in your password manager—don’t leave them in separate notes or documents.

3) Establish a Digital Executor 

• Choose a trusted individual to manage your digital assets after death or incapacitation. 

• Document access instructions and store them securely, such as in an encrypted file with a shared key. 

• Ensure your digital executor knows where these instructions are located—or give them a copy in advance. 

4) Prepare Recovery Access for Critical Devices 

• Ensure recovery keys and PINs for devices (e.g., smartphones, laptops, smart home hubs) are stored securely and can be accessed by designated individuals. 

• Register a Legacy Contact for Apple and other cloud services. 

5) Create a Plan for Your Online Presence 

• Decide whether your social media and email accounts should be memorialized, deleted, or handed over. 

• Use services like Google Inactive Account Manager or Facebook’s Legacy Contact feature. 

6) At Work, Develop Internal Organizational Policies 

• Implement IT procedures for handling the death or incapacity of key personnel. 

• Regularly audit and securely store credentials for essential systems, especially for sole-proprietor scenarios. 

References: 

How to Add a Legacy Contact for Your Apple Account: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102631 

Get To Know Your Emergency Kit: https://support.1password.com/emergency-kit/  

Wayne Crowder’s LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wcrowder 

Digital Afterlife Planning Checklist: https://www.lmgsecurity.com/resources/digital-afterlife-planning-checklist/ 

#Cybersecurity #Cyberaware #Cyber #DigitalPlanning

Takeaways 

• Stay Tuned for Analysis of LockBit’s Dump: The leak could reshape best practices for negotiations and ransom response. More revelations are expected as researchers dive deeper. 

• Plan for Ransomware: LockBit’s sophisticated infrastructure and quick rebound highlight the need for a solid, regularly updated ransomware response plan. 

• Proactive Measures: Defending against modern ransomware requires: 

• • Robust identity and access management 

• • Secure, offline backups 

• • Continuous employee training on phishing 

• • Timely vulnerability patching 

• Collaboration and Intelligence Sharing: Work with peers and participate in threat intelligence networks to stay ahead of attackers. 

• Test Your Web Applications: LockBit’s breach stemmed from a web panel vulnerability. Regular application testing is essential to avoid similar flaws. 

 Don't forget to like and subscribe for more great cybersecurity content!

Resources 

• Conti Leak Background (Wired) – context on how the Conti gang crumbled after its internal files were leaked 

• Operation Cronos Press Release (UK NCA) – 2024 international takedown of LockBit infrastructure 

• LMG Security Blog on Ransomware Response – stay updated with expert analysis and tips 

 #LMGsecurity #CybersideChats #Ransomware #LockBit #Databreach #IT #CISO #Cyberaware #Infosec #ITsecurity

Takeaways 

• Replace outdated routers    End-of-life routers should be identified and replaced across your organization, including remote offices and unmanaged home setups. These devices no longer receive patches and are prime targets for compromise. 

• Restrict remote administration    If remote access is needed, tightly control it—limit by IP address, use VPN access, and require MFA. Avoid exposing admin interfaces directly to the internet unless absolutely necessary. 

• Patch and harden infrastructure    Apply all available firmware updates and follow vendor security guidance. Where possible, segment or monitor legacy network devices that can’t be immediately replaced. 

• Don’t trust domestic IPs    Traffic from domestic or residential IP ranges is no longer inherently safe. Compromised routers make malicious activity appear to come from trusted regions. 

• Add proxy abuse to threat intel    Incorporate indicators of compromise from Lumen and FBI alerts into detection rulesets. Treat proxy abuse as a key TTP for credential theft, fraud, and malware C2. 
• Report suspected compromise    If you identify affected infrastructure or suspicious traffic, report it to IC3.gov. Include IPs, timestamps, device types, and any supporting forensic detail. 

#CybersideChats #Cybersecurity #Tech #Cyber #CyberAware #CISO #CIO #FBIalert #FBIwarning #Malware #Router

In this engaging and eye-opening session, Sherri and Matt share how hackers are using AI tools in the wild—often with frightening success. You'll also hear about original research in which we obtained generative AI tools from underground markets, including WormGPT, and tested their ability to identify vulnerabilities and create working exploits. 

You’ll walk away with practical, field-tested defense strategies your team can implement immediately. 

Takeaways: 

• Deploy AI Defensively: Use AI-powered tools for email filtering, behavioral monitoring, and anomaly detection to keep pace with attackers leveraging generative AI for phishing, impersonation, and malware obfuscation. 

• Enhance Executive Protection Protocols: Implement verification procedures for high-risk communications—especially voice and video—to mitigate deepfake and real-time impersonation threats. 

• Prioritize Recon Risk Reduction: Minimize publicly available details about internal systems and personnel, which attackers can scrape and analyze using AI for more targeted and convincing attacks. 

• Adapt Third-Party Risk Management: Update vendor vetting and due diligence processes to ensure your software providers are proactively using AI to identify vulnerabilities, harden code, and detect malicious behaviors early. 

• Train Your Team on AI Threat Awareness: Educate staff on recognizing AI-enhanced phishing, scam scripts, and impersonation attempts—including across multiple languages and perfect grammar. 

• Update Incident Response Plans: Ensure your IR playbooks account for faster-moving threats, including AI-discovered zero-days, synthetic media like deepfakes, and AI-assisted exploit development and targeting. 

References: 

• "WormGPT Easily Finds Software Vulnerabilities” https://www.lmgsecurity.com/videos/wormgpt-easily-finds-software-vulnerabilities 

• AI Will Increase the Quantity—and Quality—of Phishing Scams: https://hbr.org/2024/05/ai-will-increase-the-quantity-and-quality-of-phishing-scams 

• A Voice Deepfake Was Used To Scam A CEO Out Of $243,000: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedamiani/2019/09/03/a-voice-deepfake-was-used-to-scam-a-ceo-out-of-243000 

#ai #aisecurity #aihacks #aihacking #aihack #wormgpt #cybercrime #cyberthreats #ciso #itsecurity 

Takeaways & How to Prepare for Quantum Computing: 

1. Map Your Crypto Use Today  Inventory where you use RSA, ECC, and digital signatures across your organization. This is the first step toward identifying high-risk systems and planning your migration strategy. 

1. Ask Vendors the Right Questions  Engage vendors now about their crypto agility and post-quantum readiness. Don’t wait for them to tell you—ask what they're doing to prepare and when they'll support PQC standards. 

1. Protect Long-Term Confidential Data  Identify and secure data that must stay private for 10+ years—think HR records, contracts, financials, and customer data. Make sure it’s encrypted using symmetric methods or stored on platforms that can adopt PQC. 

1. Track PQC Standards and Test Early  Keep up with NIST's progress and consider pilot testing PQC tools in non-production environments. Testing now reduces surprises later when standards are finalized. 

1. Start Using Hybrid Crypto Approaches  Hybrid protocols combine classical and quantum-safe algorithms. They provide an easy starting point to future-proof encryption while retaining backward compatibility. 

References: 

“NIST Releases First 3 Finalized Post-Quantum Encryption Standards” 

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/08/nist-releases-first-3-finalized-post-quantum-encryption-standards 

“You need to prepare for post-quantum cryptography now. Here’s why” 

https://www.scworld.com/resource/you-need-to-prepare-for-post-quantum-cryptography-now-heres-why 

#cyptography #quantum #quantumcomputing #quantumcomputers #cybersecurity #ciso #securityawareness #cyberaware #cyberawareness

Takeaways: 

• Don’t wait for Washington—assume support from CISA and ISACs may be slower or scaled back. 

• Map your dependencies on CISA services and plan alternatives for scans, intel, and assessments. 

• Budget for gaps—prepare to replace free services with commercial or internal resources. 

• Subscribe to non-government threat intelligence feeds and monitor them regularly. 

• Prioritize and prepare your response to zero-days and software exploits, knowing CVE and intel delays give attackers more time. 

• Build local and sector connections to share threat info informally if national channels slow down. 

Resources: 

MITRE CVE Program - The central hub for CVE IDs, program background, and tracking published vulnerabilities.  https://www.cve.org 

The CVE Foundation: https://www.thecvefoundation.org/home  

LMG Security Vulnerability Scanning: https://www.lmgsecurity.com/services/testing/vulnerability-scans 

#cybersecurity #cyber #CVE #riskmanagement #infosec #ciso #security

Drawing from past and present breaches, we offer a roadmap for corporate resilience. Learn practical steps for protecting your data when your vendors can’t protect themselves. 

#Cybersecurity #Databreach #23andMe #CISO #IT #ITsecurity #infosec #DFIR #Privacy #RiskManagement

This episode will cover:

• What platforms like Signal offer—and their limitations in enterprise settings.

• Why users bypass official channels and how it leads to compliance failures.

• Real-world implications from recent incidents, including U.S. officials using unsecured communication tools.

• The broader shadow IT landscape and why it’s a pressing issue for security leaders.

Join us in exploring the headlines and takeaways that can help organizations avoid similar pitfalls!

#Cybersecurity #ShadowChannels #CybersideChats #UnauthorizedPlatforms #Signal #DataLeaks #Compliance #Infosec #ShadowIT #IT #Cyber #Cyberaware ETech #CISO

Stay informed about how these developments affect corporate data privacy and the evolving landscape of cybersecurity legislation. A must-watch for anyone interested in understanding the complex interplay between technology, privacy, and government control.

#cyberthreats #encryptedcommunications #Apple #encryption #encryptionbackdoors #cybersecurity

Takeaways: 

• Educate Staff on Deep Fake & Voice Cloning Threats – Train employees to recognize red flags in AI-generated phishing attempts, including voice calls that sound slightly robotic, rushed password reset requests, and unexpected changes in vendor communications. 

• Verify Before You Trust – Encourage employees to independently verify unexpected requests, even if they appear to come from trusted platforms (e.g., YouTube, Apple, Google). Use known contacts, not the contact information in the suspicious message. 

• Strengthen MFA Policies – Require phishing-resistant MFA methods (e.g., FIDO2 security keys) and educate users on MFA fatigue attacks, where criminals bombard them with authentication requests to wear them down. 

• Limit Publicly Available Information – Reduce exposure by minimizing executives' and employees' personal and professional information online, as attackers use this data to create convincing deepfakes and social engineering schemes. 
• Monitor Trusted Platforms for Abuse – Attackers are exploiting YouTube, Google Forms, and other legitimate services to distribute phishing content. Set up alerts and regularly review security logs for unusual access attempts or fraudulent messages. 

Tune in to understand the impact of digital deception and discover practical steps to safeguard against these innovative yet insidious attacks affecting individuals and businesses alike.

#Deepfakes #Phishing #SocialEngineering #CISO #Cyberattacks #VoicePhishing #Cybersecurity #VoiceCloning #CybersideChats

Key Takeaways: 

• Strengthen authentication for financial transactions. Don’t rely on the phone!  

• Train staff to recognize spoofed calls and phishing texts that mimic trusted partners. Stay aware – assume telecom metadata can be weaponized 

• Limit what employees share over calls and texts. Consider using encrypted communications, such as Signal, for any highly sensitive conversations.  

• Require telecom service providers to disclose security practices and past breaches 

• Have a contingency plan for telecom outages, including backup communication channels and alternative ways to verify urgent requests. 

Don't forget to follow our podcast for fresh, weekly cybersecurity news!

#Cybersecurity #TelecomSecurity #SaltTyphoon #Spoofing #Metadata #Infosec #Phishing #CyberThreats #NationStateHackers #BusinessSecurity #CybersideChats #EncryptedCommunications #ITSecurity

Join Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin as they discuss the broader implications of such outages, emphasizing the importance of effective risk management, especially for organizations heavily reliant on cloud services.

• Develop a Communications Plan – Ensure employees have backup communication methods for cloud service outages.
• Strengthen Vendor Risk Management – Assess dependencies on critical providers and establish alternative solutions.
• Test Business Continuity Plans (BCP) – Run outage simulations to improve response time and decision-making.
• Evaluate Cyber Insurance Coverage – Confirm policies include business interruption coverage, not just cyberattacks.
• Monitor for Early Warnings – Set up alerts for vendor status updates and cybersecurity advisories.
• Reduce Single Points of Failure – Implement multi-cloud or hybrid infrastructure to avoid total reliance on a single provider.

• Microsoft’s Global Outage Coverage (CNBC)
• Cyber Insurance Report – Business Interruption Trends (AM Best)
• CrowdStrike Q4 2025 Earnings Report
• UK Banking System Outage (The Times)
• World Economic Forum Cybersecurity Outlook 2025

#microsoft #microsoftoutage #cybersecurity #cyberaware #businesscontinuityplanning #businesscontinuity #cyberinsurance #LMGsecurity #CybersideChats

Links & Resources: 

• Watchtowr’s Research on Abandoned S3 Buckets: https://labs.watchtowr.com/8-million-requests-later-we-made-the-solarwinds-supply-chain-attack-look-amateur/ 

• How Encryption Works by Sherri: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALsXbShTWJk 

• LMG Security’s Cloud Security Audits: https://www.LMGsecurity.com/services/advisory-compliance/cloud-security-assessment/ 

Like what you heard? Subscribe to Cyberside Chats for more expert cybersecurity insights every week. 

#cybersecurity #databreach #AWS #S3 #CISO #Cloud #AWSsecurity #Hackers #Infosec #IncidentResponse

We'll also provide insights into the broader ransomware landscape, including trends and statistics for 2024, and offer practical advice on protecting against these cyber threats. Lastly, we delve into the operations of the RansomHub group, revealing their so-called 'ethical' hacking practices.

Join Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin as they unravel these cyber threats and equip you with strategies to safeguard your organization.

#ransomware #ransomwareattacks #cybersecurity #cyberaware #GhostRansomware #CISA

We also cover new zero-days in Microsoft, Apple, and Android, and why time-to-exploit has dropped from 32 days to just 5. Plus, we’ll share key defensive strategies to help you stay ahead. 

The race between attackers and defenders is accelerating—don’t get left behind. 

Takeaways: How You Can Defend Against These Threats 

• Patch Faster—Automate Where Possible  With zero-days being exploited in days, manual patching isn’t fast enough. Automate patching for high-risk, internet-exposed systems. 

• Monitor Known Exploits & Zero-Days  Stay ahead of threats with the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog. 

• Strengthen Privileged Access & Network Segmentation  Security tools like BeyondTrust are high-value targets—lock them down. Limit exposure: if attackers breach one system, they shouldn’t be able to pivot everywhere. 

• Threat Hunt for Exploitation Attempts  Don’t wait for alerts—assume exploitation is happening. Look for privilege escalations, odd script executions, and unexpected admin account changes. 

• Assess & Limit Third-Party Risks  Security vendors are part of your attack surface—evaluate them like you would any other software provider. Make sure they follow secure development practices, have clear incident response plans, and communicate openly about vulnerabilities and patches.  

Helpful Links & Resources 

• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog  LMG’s Software Supply Chain Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB8iriZJ57k 

• Google’s Cybersecurity Forecast 2025 report: https://cloud.google.com/security/resources/cybersecurity-forecast 

We compare this developing situation to the infamous 2015 OPM hack, in which state-sponsored attackers stole the personal records of over 22 million individuals. Are we witnessing history repeat itself—this time with even more catastrophic consequences?

Topics Covered:

• Flashback to 2015: How weak security and stolen credentials led to one of the worst data breaches in U.S. history.
• The New OPM Scandal: How an unauthorized email server could open the door to ransomware, espionage, and phishing attacks.
• Cybersecurity Risks: Data exfiltration, credential theft, security bypassing, and compliance failures.
• Lessons for IT Leaders: How to detect rogue devices, enforce Zero Trust policies, and prevent a breach before it happens.

If the rogue OPM server isn’t secured, millions of federal employees could face serious risks. Listen to learn more. Do you think history is repeating itself with cybersecurity lapses going unchecked? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Tune in again next Tuesday for another episode of Cyberside Chats!

A new AI powerhouse is making waves—DeepSeek has skyrocketed in popularity, rivaling top AI models at a fraction of the cost.

But with data stored in China and unknown security safeguards, is your organization at risk? In this episode of Cyberside Chats, Sherri Davidoff and Matt Durrin break down the cybersecurity implications of AI tools like DeepSeek. You'll learn about:

▪ DeepSeek's unique IP exposure risks and cybersecurity challenges. ▪ The growing threat of "Shadow AI" in your organization and supply chain. ▪ How to update your policies, vet vendors, and protect sensitive data in an era of rapidly evolving AI risks.

Join Sherri and Matt as they provide an in-depth look at DeepSeek's cybersecurity risks and explain why your organization must communicate clear acceptable use policies with employees and partners.

Don’t forget to follow us for weekly Cyberside Chats security updates!

🔗 Here’s the LMG Security AI Readiness Checklist we reference in the video: https://www.LMGsecurity.com/resources/adapting-to-ai-risks-essential-cybersecurity-program-updates

#DeepSeek #cybersecurity #cyberaware #cybersecurityawareness #ciso #cybersecure #aithreats #ai #DeepSeekSecurity

Takeaways: 

• Anticipate Increased Cybercrime Activity. The pardon of Ross Ulbricht could embolden cybercriminals. Proactively strengthen your organization’s defenses by updating incident response plans and running tabletop exercises to prepare for more brazen attacks. 

• Monitor Policy Changes Closely. Stay informed about shifts in U.S. government enforcement against cybercrime. If the crackdown slows, adapt your risk assessments and adjust your security posture to counter an evolving threat landscape. 

• Collaborate and Share Intelligence. Join industry groups and forums to exchange insights on how others are preparing for and responding to cyber threats in the wake of policy and enforcement changes.  

• Reinforce Employee Training. With the possibility of emboldened cybercriminals, ensure staff are well-trained to recognize phishing and social engineering tactics, which are often the first step in an attack. 

• Enhance Threat Detection Capabilities. Invest in tools and services that monitor dark web activity and ransomware trends to stay ahead of potential threats, especially as new actors and groups emerge. 

We unpack the legal, ethical, and operational implications of these law enforcement actions and provide actionable advice for IT and security leadership to prepare for similar events.

Key topics include:

• How the FBI executed the PlugX takedown and what it means for organizations.
• The risks and benefits of law enforcement hacking into private systems to mitigate threats.
• Preparing for potential third-party access to your network by “authorized” actors like law enforcement or tech vendors.

Takeaways:

• Be aware that “authorized” third parties, such as law enforcement or Microsoft, may access your computers if they’re part of a botnet.
• Monitor threat intelligence feeds so you’re informed when events like these occur.
• Proactively communicate with your ISP about their processes for responding to law enforcement notifications.
• Ensure your contact information is current with your ISP and DNS registrars to avoid communication gaps.
• Review and update your incident response (IR) and forensics plans to account for potential third-party access.
• Include scenarios involving third-party access in your tabletop exercises to improve preparedness.

Resources:

“FBI Hacked Thousands of Computers to Make Malware Uninstall Itself”

“The Microsoft Exchange Server Hack: A Timeline”

“Taking Down the Waledac Botnet (The Story of Operation b49)”

Have thoughts or questions about this episode? Contact us to discuss this and more with other cybersecurity professionals.

#cybersecurity #PlugX #PlugXhack #hack #hacker

Sherri and Matt will discuss the potential impacts of the Cyber Trust Mark and discuss the ongoing challenges of securing IoT devices. They also tackle the rising threat of QR code phishing, as more devices will carry QR codes for secure setup—raising new concerns for consumers.

Tune in to learn how this new mark can help protect your privacy and security in an increasingly connected world!

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode to stay informed on the latest cybersecurity trends!

#USCyberTrustMark #cybersecurity #cyberaware

This episode not only prepares listeners for the potential challenges of 2025 but also equips them with the knowledge to enhance their cybersecurity measures effectively. Tune in to stay informed and ready for the future!