In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the future of warfighting in the information domain. They begin the podcast unpacking major national security developments for 2024 and how global powers have continued to exploit the grey zone, before unpacking an absence of ownership of the information domain in Australia when examining the DIME construct – diplomacy, information, milita...
Dec 19, 2024•31 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss a widespread hacking campaign by a network of hacktivist groups and an alleged data breach impacting United States Marine Corps personnel. The pair also catch up on the evolving case of the apparent assassination of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO and talk about the threat of Chinese espionage operations against telecommunications companies. Hollingworth and Croft begin by breaking down a campaign by a raft of p...
Dec 13, 2024•27 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, special host Steve Kuper is joined by co-host Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and AMP’s chief economist, Shane Oliver, to discuss the latest economic data and what it means for the nation’s economic and national security. The trio discuss the recently released Australian gross domestic product figures and the impact of Australia’s ailing economy on national security. They also discuss: Australia’s collapsing productivity and the growth of re...
Dec 12, 2024•41 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss recent changes in Australian cyber policy and recent cyber crime activity. The two debate the controversial social media ban and the use of AI in university assessments, before discussing a website defacement case that could be the start of something much bigger, as well as the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The podcast begins with a discussion of Sydney University’s move to allow students to u...
Dec 06, 2024•38 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, special host Steve Kuper is joined by Jennifer Parker, expert associate at the National Security College, Australian National University and a former Navy officer, to discuss the growing need for an Australian Coast Guard. The pair discuss the mounting level of hybrid and grey zone warfare in the maritime commons and economic exclusion zones across the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia, which has prompted a radical shift among regional nations seeki...
Dec 05, 2024•43 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, Liam Garman and Phil Tarrant unpack findings from the Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Annual Cyber Threat Report 2023-2024 and the challenge of building a governance framework that disrupts the purveyors of disinformation. The trio unpack findings from the ASD, in particular the ongoing risk Australia’s critical infrastructure providers face at the hand of adversarial nation-state actors, and how Au...
Nov 29, 2024•19 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft break down the last week in the cyber world. We talk politics, policy, and the truly terrible legislation that is the social media ban, before moving on to talk about recent ransomware attacks and data breaches impacting Australian businesses. The podcast begins with Croft unpacking the new Cyber Security Act that passed into law this week, before both joining in for a discussion with Hollingworth about the soc...
Nov 29, 2024•30 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, independent cyber security executive Tony Vizza and Lumify lead cyber security trainer Louis Cremen join host Liam Garman to discuss whether boards truly understand cyber security risks – and whether they are doing enough to manage them. They begin the podcast by unpacking how boards can have a greater understanding of the risk of cyber incidents to organisations and how they differ from other elements of risk that face businesses. Vizza and Cremen the...
Nov 25, 2024•46 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Genetec’s Asia-Pacific sales engineering and services manager, Lee Shelford, joins host Liam Garman to discuss the world of physical security and how Genetec’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution is keeping public and private organisations safe. The podcast begins analysing the evolution of physical security, from rudimentary alarm systems to today’s SaaS-enabled physical control solutions. Shelford then discusses how this solution keeps businesses s...
Nov 22, 2024•36 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, shadow minister for communications and federal member for Banks David Coleman joins host Liam Garman to discuss the recent misinformation bill that will leave free speech and political discourse in Australia. They begin the podcast with a recap of what’s in the bill, including how the government will determine what constitutes misinformation or disinformation. Coleman and Garman then unpack some unforeseen consequences of the bill, including how i...
Nov 21, 2024•36 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Aaron Bugal, field chief technology officer at Sophos, to unpack how businesses can keep themselves safe in the face of an ever-evolving threat environment. The pair begin the podcast by examining recent research from the company’s X-Ops division and how professionals should prioritise disrupting criminal networks with a reminder that ransomware is merely a means to an end for attackers. They then examine how AI is being u...
Nov 15, 2024•34 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Dawn Cappelli, head of OT-CERT at Dragos, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how governments and the industry are responding to current and emerging ICS/OT threats. The pair begin the podcast by examining how operational technology is becoming more interconnected with the digital world and what emerging vulnerabilities providers should be aware of for the future. Cappelli and Garman then look into whether government regulations are keeping pace with evol...
Nov 08, 2024•38 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Liam Garman is joined by senator for Queensland Matthew Canavan to discuss resource and food security, international politics and Australian domestic policy. The pair begin the podcast discussing voting trends in Australia and the results of the recent Queensland election. They then examine the need for a robust policy platform that supports Australia’s resources industry, protecting national sovereignty, delivering jobs and economic growth. Senat...
Nov 07, 2024•38 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Sadiq Iqbal, sales engineering lead and evangelist, office of the CTO at Check Point Software, joins host Liam Garman to discuss platformisation in cyber security and the importance of interoperability for cyber security tools. The pair begin the podcast by looking at recent developments in cyber security and why businesses continue to be breached despite the wide range of cyber security solutions available today. They then examine how to ensure that t...
Nov 01, 2024•49 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, interviewer Defence Connect senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison. Morrison, non-executive vice chairman of American Global Strategies, has recently announced a new role as chairman of Space Centre Australia, a planned spaceport in far north Queensland. He has also recently concluded a lecture at the Yomiuri International Economic Society in Tokyo in September. The pair discuss: The Austral...
Oct 31, 2024•45 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, co-host Liam Garman is joined by Steve Kuper, senior analyst and government relations manager at Defence Connect, to unpack deepening social tensions in the United States ahead of the US election. The pair begin the podcast discussing whether modern journalism, with a focus on opinion over reporting, has worsened the political divide in the US. Kuper and Garman then discuss Russian interference during the 2016 election and give insight into the Se...
Oct 25, 2024•39 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Seamus Lennon, vice president of operations for EMEA at ThreatLocker, joins host Liam Garman to unpack why businesses need to strengthen their endpoint security and implement a zero-trust strategy in today’s security environment. The pair begin the podcast by looking at today’s cyber security environment, unpacking why businesses have overlooked endpoint security and the need for zero trust. They then examine ThreatLocker’s future innovation and how it...
Oct 25, 2024•29 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Michael Mestrovich, chief information security officer at data security firm Rubrik, joins host Liam Garman to examine the nature of modern cyber security threats, how much easier it is to become a cyber criminal, and keeping up with changing regulations. The pair begin the podcast with a discussion on the evolution of ransomware and the intersection of state financially motivated cyber crime. Mestrovich and Garman then examine the role of zero trust a...
Oct 18, 2024•35 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr David Kilcullen, former diplomat and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency senior research scientist, to discuss the moving evolution of conflict, tactics and military technology. The trio begin by discussing elements of complex warfare, how predictions change over time and the differences in warfare over the last 25 years. They also discuss the tactics and technologies...
Oct 17, 2024•44 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft detail multiple Australian hacks, theft of frequent flyer points, LockBit striking back, and the launch of the Australian Cyber Network. Croft gets things started with a rundown of Australia’s first standalone cyber security legislation before outlining a recent insider threat incident that saw the passports of Qantas customers potentially exposed in a scheme to steal frequent flyer points. Hollingworth then fo...
Oct 11, 2024•25 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft detail multiple recent law enforcement operations that have made a considerable dent in criminal and cyber criminal activity around the world. Croft opens the podcast with the most recent developments in law enforcement’s efforts to tackle the LockBit ransomware gang, with four arrests made and sanctions placed against one of the gang’s major affiliates. Hollingworth then details the incredible story of the Aus...
Oct 04, 2024•19 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and how state actors disrupt their non-state adversaries. The podcast begins with an analysis into the fragility of supply chains, examining the pager attack, and how adversaries can conduct espionage through acquisition. They then discuss strategies at disrupting non-state adversaries, including whether a...
Oct 03, 2024•28 min
In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack new “safe habour” protections unveiled by the federal government, before looking into some recent hacks and controversy surrounding artificial intelligence. The pair begin the podcast examining the new “safe harbour” protections unveiled by Minister for Cyber Security Tony Burke, and how it will help information gathering for law enforcement agencies. They then examine the recent Total Tools breach, before divi...
Sep 27, 2024•38 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman invite Major General (Ret’d) Gus McLachlan back for a follow-up podcast, unpacking irregular warfare, information operations and military modernisation. They begin the podcast discussing Russia’s “little green men” during the invasion of 2014, and how Russian units were able to take over swathes of Eastern Ukraine. MAJGEN (Ret’d) McLachlan then unpacks his priorities in uniform in mode...
Sep 26, 2024•33 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Joe Hockey, former Australian ambassador to the United States, joins hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Steve Kuper to discuss the continued importance of the Australia–US relationship. The trio begin by discussing the fallout of the latest presidential debate between contenders, former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, touching on the implications for the bilateral relationship. They also discuss ...
Sep 19, 2024•32 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Andrew Hastie MP, shadow minister for defence and shadow minister for defence industry, joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman to discuss how Australia must develop sovereign capability amid growing geopolitical uncertainty. The trio begin the podcast discussing how Australia needs to support Defence SMEs to deliver sovereign capability amid rising political uncertainty before looking into additional uses of Australia’s special forces capabiliti...
Sep 13, 2024•22 min
In this episode of Cyber Uncut, host David Hollingworth is joined by Daniel Croft to unpack the week in cyber security. From hacks abroad and closer to home, the changing tactics of the once prolific LockBit ransomware gang, to new Australian laws introduced to protect our privacy and stop the spread of misinformation, the pair cover a lot of ground and try to find a bright spot in the Australian Federal Police (AFP) looking to mentor neurodivergent into a career in cyber security. Croft talks a...
Sep 13, 2024•29 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Gus McLachlan, former Commander Forces Command, joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman to unpack modern asymmetrical warfare: from the Taliban in Afghanistan to Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the Philippine Sea, and even how social media is spurring political divisions. The podcast begins by analysing what grey zone warfare looks like in the modern geopolitical environment, from resource competit...
Sep 12, 2024•29 min
In this episode of Cyber Uncut, Shaq Johnson – ANZ bank’s head of customer protection – joins hosts David Hollingworth and Liam Garman to break down the current scam landscape in Australia, from what the scammers are doing to the real, personal impacts of falling victim to a scam. As Hollingworth says in the podcast, 164,111 scams have been reported to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch already this year, so while scams are slowing down, it’s still a significant challenge. Our discussion ...
Sep 06, 2024•30 min
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of the ADF’s Information Warfare Division, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack the importance of long-range strike as a deterrent and how Australia is uplifting its cyber and information warfare capabilities. MAJGEN (Ret’d) Thompson begins unpacking the benefits of establishing the ADF’s Cyber Command, drawing together the cyber capabilities of each of the services and enhancing the in...
Aug 29, 2024•31 min
