In this Risky Business News sponsor interview, Catalin Cimpanu talks with Luke Jennings, VP of Research & Development at Push Security, about ConsentFix. It’s a new form of email-based social engineering attack used in the wild, an evolution of the ClickFix attack that goes after your identity. Show notes ConsentFix: Analysing a browser-native ClickFix-style attack that hijacks OAuth consent grants ConsentFix debrief: latest community insights, recommendations, and predictions Luke Jennings,...
Jan 26, 2026•13 min
Russia deployed wipers against Poland’s energy grid, Microsoft shared BitLocker keys with the FBI, Romania dismantles a murder-for-hire portal, and the EU creates a new anti-spyware group. Show notes Risky Bulletin: EU readies new anti-spyware group, but with even less powers than PEGA...
Jan 25, 2026•7 min
A poorly patched bug is being exploited in Fortinet firewalls, hackers go after security testing environments, Jordanian police used Cellebrite against activists, and new Cisco and SmarterMail zero-days. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Improperly patched bug exploited again in Fortinet firewalls...
Jan 22, 2026•7 min
Tom Uren and Amberleigh Jack talk about the rise of technologies that can undermine internet blackouts such as Starlink and its relatively new direct-to-cell service. Authoritarian internet shutdowns and disasters happen often enough that governments should think about how to take advantage of these new technologies rather than just reacting when crises arise. They also discuss the nomination of General Joshua Rudd as head of NSA and US Cyber Command. This episode is also available on Youtube . ...
Jan 22, 2026•20 min
Canonical’s Snap Store hit by domain resurrection attacks, Russia will use AI to detect VPN users, Iranian hackers switch to Starlink during internet outage, and Greece arrests SMS blasters… by dumb luck. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Domain resurrection attacks come to Canonical's Snap Store...
Jan 21, 2026•6 min
In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq talk about what information warfare even is, revisit a 30-year-old paper and examine why Western governments struggle with the concept. This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes What is Information Warfare by Martin Libicki Human Rights in China Leaked conversation on Youtube, in Mandarin Rebecca Black, Friday...
Jan 19, 2026•33 min
Germany seeks more hacking and surveillance powers for its intelligence service, Finland intends to criminalize the spreading of false information, patriotic “French” social media goes quiet during Iran’s internet outage, and hackers are extorting GrubHub. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Germany seeks more hacking and surveillance powers for its intel service...
Jan 18, 2026•7 min
In this Risky Business sponsored interview, Tom Uren talks to Justin Kohler, Chief Product Officer at SpecterOps, about how attack paths exist in the seams between different identity or permissions management domains. In isolation, for example, both your Github and your AWS deployment could follow best practices. But bring them together and you’ve got problems. Bloodhound’s OpenGraph lets you find and fix these otherwise invisible attack paths. Show notes...
Jan 18, 2026•14 min
China bans Israeli and US cybersecurity products, Sean Plankey is re-nominated for CISA Director, RAM price hikes are likely to impact the cost of firewalls, and Lumen sinkholes the Kimwolf DDoS botnet. Show notes Risky Bulletin: DRAM price hikes set to impact firewalls too...
Jan 15, 2026•7 min
Tom Uren and Amberleigh Jack talk about the Chinese government’s reactive approach to tackling scam compounds. It’s driven by bad news on domestic media and therefore focusses on the compounds that are targeting Chinese citizens. Rather than eliminating the industry, that may instead be shaping the industry to focus on other countries and particularly Americans. They also discuss the role of disruptive cyber operations in the US’s raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This episode...
Jan 15, 2026•19 min
Russia fines 33 telcos for surveillance non-compliance, AVCheck admin is arrested in Amsterdam, Poland repels an attack on its power grid, and voice cloning defenses can be bypassed. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Voice cloning defenses still weak, can be bypassed...
Jan 14, 2026•6 min
In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq about the role of cyber operations in the US capture of Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro. This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes Maduro's fall puts US cyber power in the spotlight Trump suggests US used cyberattacks to turn off lights in Venezuela during strikes Venezuela strike marks a turning point for US cyber warfare Power outages, but not cyber (from Oleg Shakirov) NYTimes Inside 'Operation Absolute Resolve' Spe...
Jan 12, 2026•28 min
The Apex Legends game is hacked again, data about 17 million Instagram users put up for sale, Indonesia blocks X over pornographic content, and a ransomware attack hits major Chilean energy provider Show notes Risky Bulletin: Apex Legends streamers hacked again...
Jan 11, 2026•6 min
In this Risky Business News sponsored interview the CEO and founder of Prowler, Toni de la Fuente, explains how implementing AI systems brings new security challenges that differ for traditional cloud workloads. Toni also talks about ‘attack paths’ in the context of cloud infrastructure and using them to minimise risk. Show notes
Jan 11, 2026•15 min
Belarus deployed spyware on journalists’ phones, a man is arrested for installing malware on a ferry, France arrests the hacker behind an Interior Ministry email server breach, and new Cisco and SonicWall zero-days. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Belarus deploys spyware on journalists' phones...
Dec 19, 2025•7 min
Tom Uren and Patrick Gray talk about America’s increasing dependence on Chinese manufacturers for electrical sector equipment. This doesn’t seem like a good idea when China is hacking electric utilities for sabotage and PLA researchers are dreaming up ways to attack the grid. They also discuss the possibility that the US was responsible for a cyber attack on Venezuela’s state oil company and how Russian state-backed hacktivism is so dumb. This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes...
Dec 17, 2025•19 min
Most smart devices run outdated web browsers, Ukrainian hacktivists breach a major Russian defense contractor, ransomware hits Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, and hackers are trying to extort PornHub with stolen user data. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Most smart devices run outdated web browsers...
Dec 17, 2025•8 min
In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq talk to Hamid Kashfi, CEO and founder of DarkCell, talk about the Iranian cyber espionage scene. Kashfi talks about how the regime once forced people to hack and crushed the domestic security research scene. He describes how and why the government has changed its approach and is now reaping the rewards of improved Iranian capabilities. This episode is available on Youtube . Show notes The "Mossad or not" threat model by James Mickens Sh...
Dec 15, 2025•50 min
Russia is hiring African freelancers for disinformation campaigns, the US is preparing to let contractors run offensive cyber operations, Germany blames Russia for the hack of its air traffic control agency, and Apple patches two WebKit zero-days. Show notes Risky Bulletin: African freelancers behind anti-US and anti-French disinfo campaigns...
Dec 15, 2025•8 min
In this sponsored interview Casey Ellis is joined by Push Security’s Field CTO, Mark Orlando. They chat about the ways that browser-based attacks are evolving and how Push Security is finding and cataloging them. Show notes ConsentFix: Analysing a browser-native ClickFix-style attack that hijacks OAuth consent grants Introducing our guide to phishing detection evasion techniques...
Dec 14, 2025•20 min
The EU has a problem attracting and retaining cyber talent, the CEO of Coupang resigns following the company’s security breach, Microsoft expands its bug bounty program to cover third party code, and Chrome and Gogs patch zero-days. Show notes Risky Bulletin: EU has a problem attracting and retaining cyber talent...
Dec 12, 2025•9 min
Linux adds PCIe encryption to help secure cloud servers, Europol cracks down on Violence-as-a-Service providers, the International Criminal Court prepares for cyber-enabled genocide, and Cambodia busts a warehouse full of SMS blasters. Show notes Risky Bulletin: Linux adds PCIe encryption to help secure cloud servers...
Dec 10, 2025•5 min
APTs go after the React2Shell vulnerability just hours after public disclosure. CISA remains without a director after the nomination stalls again, NSA is down 2,000 staff this year, and Intellexa is still active despite sanctions. Show notes
Dec 07, 2025•8 min
Tom Uren and Patrick Gray discuss a new report proposing a framework for deciding when cyber operations raise red flags. It suggests seven red flags and could help clarify thinking about how to respond to different operations. They also discuss Anthropic testifying to Congress and Iran using cyber intelligence to target missile strikes including by sharing it with Houthi rebels who fired at a specific ship. And finally, we are not reassured by China’s white paper about being a good cyber citizen...
Dec 04, 2025•16 min
In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq wonder whether it is possible to deter states from cyber espionage with doxxing and other disruption measures. This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes Department 40 exposed Charming Kitten exposed...
Dec 01, 2025•28 min
In this Risky Business News sponsor interview, Mike Lashlee, CSO of Mastercard talks to Tom Uren about why the company got into threat intelligence. Mike talks about bringing together payments insights with threat intel to get strong signals about fraud or crime, the benefits of international collaboration and when it makes sense for your CSO to also be the CISO. Show notes...
Nov 30, 2025•14 min
Tom Uren and Amberleigh Jack talk about new research that shows the Chinese-made DeepSeek-R1 AI model produces insecure code when prompts include topics that the Chinese Communist Party dislikes. It’s interesting research, but the CCP doesn’t have a monopoly on imposing AI bias. They also discuss the complete doxxing of the Iranian cyber espionage group known as APT35 or Charming Kitten. This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes...
Nov 27, 2025•21 min
In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq talk about the differences between telcos and cloud companies. Does the nature of the business force cloud companies to be better at security? This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes FCC looks to torch Biden-era cyber rules sparked by Salt Typhoon mess Netflix's Chaos Monkey Brian in Pittsburgh BTN145 Ultra...
Nov 24, 2025•35 min
Tom Uren and Amberleigh Jack talk about Anthropic’s discovery of an “AI-orchestrated” cyber espionage campaign. To Tom, it feels a research project, but it’s pretty clear it will be really useful for threat actors that aren’t focussed on specific high-priority targets. Think ransomware, Chinese intellectual property theft and North Korean hackers. But it won’t be so good for Western intelligence agencies. They also discuss Google’s legal disruption of the China-based Lighthouse phishing as a ser...
Nov 20, 2025•21 min
In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq talk about the strategic “logic” of Russian wiper attacks on the Ukrainian grain sector. This episode is also available on Youtube . Show notes ESET report Soesanto and Gajos at Lawfare...
Nov 17, 2025•31 min
