Cyber Uncut (Momentum Media)

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 about a disclosure by the third-largest cyber security firm in the world, Fortinet, with the company revealing that a malicious actor accessed a third-party repository, while closer to home, the RansomHub gang posts a trove of customer data stolen from a New Zealand accounting firm.

The pair also discuss sneaky new “data duplication” tactics being used by LockBit, where it takes an old leak and threatens victims a second time.

Then Hollingworth and Croft discuss new government regulations boosting the powers of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) while pondering the scope of coming to grips with the social media giants before closing a brighter note, praising the AFP for its neurodivergent mentoring program.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security Clare O’Neil joins Cyber Daily editor Liam Garman to unpack how the Albanese government aims to make Australia the world’s most cyber secure nation by 2030 and give firsthand insight into upcoming cyber security legislation to keep us safe online. 

• The pair begin the podcast by going behind the curtain to see what threats keep Minister O'Neil up at night, and how the government is tackling such a broad array of online threats - from phishing attacks, to credential stuffing and insider threats. 
• Minister O'Neil then shares her thoughts on the recent Deloitte report on the Optus attack, and clears up some common questions on SOCI/SLACIP.
• The podcast wraps up by looking at some upcoming cyber security legislation and what the future of digital transformation looks like in Australia. 

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Momentum Media director of defence Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson unpack the latest current affairs in cyber security.

• The podcast begins by unpacking the news cycle over the holiday break and how Australia has earned the unfortunate mantle of the most hacked nation on the planet. The year 2022 saw Australia go through a raft of cyber security disasters, from Medibank to Optus, and the pair explore how this has impacted the cyber security policy debate.
• The pair then discuss the ramifications of the recent LastPass data breach, and how much of the data we see get lost in a breach is available elsewhere.
• The podcast wraps up with an analysis of a new zero-trust agreement between the Five Eyes nations, and how important it is for Australia’s national security, and the security of its allies.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack building a nexus between academia, business and our national security organisations to build a stronger domestic cyber security industry.

• MAJGEN (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson begins the podcast by discussing his experience setting up the Australian Defence Force’s initial cyber and information warfare capabilities and discusses creating a pathway into the cyber security industry to foster public-private innovation.
• The pair then unpack the challenges in creating a nexus between academia, industry and national security with the risk of foreign interference on university campuses.
• Tarrant and Thompson then discuss the Change Healthcare hack and the operating model of politically and financially motivated criminal gangs.
• The podcast wraps up by analysing the benefits of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act and the Australian Digital ID legislation and how governments can improve legislation yet further.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Drew Bagley, vice-president and counsel for privacy and cyber policy at CrowdStrike, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the emerging cyber security trends facing Australian businesses and how the Australian government can draw from success overseas to build a robust and agile policy framework to protect Australians online.

• The pair begin the podcast by unpacking findings from CrowdStrike’s 2023 Threat Hunting report, detailing the emerging and evolving threats that all Australian businesses must monitor, including fascinating insights about the proliferation of non-malware and identity-based attacks.
• Bagley and Garman then discuss the Commonwealth’s 2023 to 2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy and what the Commonwealth can learn from best practice from overseas governments.
• The pair wrap up the podcast byanalysing how governments the world over turn to CrowdStrike to develop their cyber security strategies, and some of the global cyber security company’s top tips for businesses to improve their security online.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Peter Maloney, managing director and chief executive officer of cyber security and sovereign cloud services provider AUCloud, joins host Liam Garman to unpack why Australia has become one of the world’s most attractive targets for cyber criminals and how Australian businesses can protect themselves.

• The pair begin the podcast unpacking the factors that make Australia such a tempting target for cyber criminals, and some of the latest tactics and strategies employed by those malicious actors to target businesses and families.
• Maloney and Garman then examine how these methods are becoming more sophisticated over time, and just who is committing the attacks.
• The podcast wraps up discussing how managed security operations centre (SOC) service providers can support businesses, and what businesses must learn from the recent large-scale attacks to build a more robust cyber security framework.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

About AUCloud:

AUCloud is a leading Australian cloud services and cyber security solutions provider, specialising in providing the latest sovereign cloud infrastructure, backup and cyber security threat defence and response services. Listed on the ASX, AUCloud is Australia’s trusted sovereign cloud provider, accredited and certified in accordance with the highest standards to ensure best practice in security, data protection and management.

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Leon Poggioli, ANZ regional director at Claroty, and Liam Garman unpack what the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy means for the industry and how businesses can build XIoT policies to mitigate the risk of penetration.

•            The pair begin the podcast by analysing how the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy will support the growth of Australia’s cyber security industry and what it will mean for businesses.

•            Poggioli and Garman then analyse how threat actors can use harmless devices such as doorbells to penetrate networks.

•            The podcast wraps up by discussing practical advice on how businesses can protect themselves and their assets from attack.

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The Cyber Uncut team

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.

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Dr Marcus Thompson discuss the key recommendations and findings from the recently released Australian Cyber Security Strategy, ASD Cyber Threat Report, and ASIC cyber pulse survey.

The pair discuss: 

• recent appointments at Penten and unpack breaking news in the cyber security industry;

• updates to the ASD Essential Eight Maturity Model, in particular, examining how new guidelines will help mitigate threat detection and response times; and

• the must-know findings from the ASD Cyber Threat Report and ASIC cyber pulse survey, and how the Australian Cyber Security Strategy will shape the cyber security industry.

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Christiaan Beek, senior director of threat analytics at Rapid7, joins host Liam Garman to discuss Rapid7’s 2023 Mid-Year Threat Review, unpacking the latest cyber security trends facing businesses and detailing need-to-know intelligence to keep Australian businesses safe.

• The pair begin the podcast analysing the most common threat vectors that are being exploited by cyber criminals, including unpatched software and old hardware systems, before discussing how businesses can implement strategies to minimise these threats.
• Beek and Garman then dive into the world of ransomware, examining the operating model of cyber gangs and how the dark web serves as a marketplace for threat actors.
• They then analyse how businesses can be breached through downstream attacks and insider threats before wrapping up with some practical security guidance for businesses.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Aaron Pollard — managing consultant, protective security at CyberCX — and Andrew Robinson — founder and chief information security officer at 6clicks — unpack supply chain risk management amid an evolving threat environment.

Topics discussed include:

• The fundamentals of supply chain risk management.
• Learnings from the SolarWinds hack.
• Securing defence industry supply chains.
• The importance of investigating the security posture of third-party suppliers before onboarding.
• Educating the workforce to ensure they’re equipped to identify threats and employ
  cyber-safe practices.
• The changing critical infrastructure environment.
• The next steps for CyberCX and 6clicks.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Liam Garman analyse the genesis of the Optus and Medibank hacks before debating the return of Julian Assange to Australia.

• The pair begin the podcast by pulling apart recent findings on the cause of the Optus and Medibank hacks, as well as the regulatory responses from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
• Tarrant, MAJGEN (Ret’d) Thompson, and Garman then share their thoughts on the ongoing Assange controversy and how WikiLeaks not only sowed political discord but also put the lives of Australian soldiers at risk.
• The podcast wraps up by unpacking the role of artificial intelligence in prosecuting information operations.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Cameron Whittfield, partner at Herbert Smith Freehills joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson to discuss:

• The nexus between law and cyber operations, and the increasingly complex regulatory landscape surrounding cyber security.
• Developing assessments of a company’s internal cyber risk profile, and steps toward building an effective crisis management team.
• The changing risk environment, including an analysis into ransomware threats and specific legal considerations that pose risks to companies transferring funds to ransomware actors.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

This special episode of Cyber Security Uncut comes from an exclusive livestream, “Hunting for hackers”, which featured on cybersecurityconnect.com.au in partnership with ParaFlare. Regular hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson were joined by Deloitte’s cyber partner, Rob Parker, to discuss the latest breaches and offer their advice to cyber decision-makers.

The trio discussed:

• Lessons available from recent data breaches.
• What comprehensive cyber security looks like.
• How to find and fill the gaps in your cyber security
• The specialist skills needed to hunt for hackers inside a network.
• How to build a cyber capability to hunt and find threats in minutes.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Jaya Baloo, global chief security officer at Rapid7, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how Australia’s regulatory environment is impacting businesses trying to manage the rapid pace of change in today’s digital environment

• The pair begin by looking at how Baloo’s career developed and the challenges she’s faced keeping global organisations secure.
• Baloo and Garman then discuss the changing threat landscape and how cyber has become a hotly contested domain, especially when it comes to the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, before looking at the reduced barrier to entry for young, patriotic hackers.
• The podcast wraps up with the pair breaking down the threats facing Australian businesses and what motivates hackers to go about their criminal enterprises.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thomspon and Phil Tarrant are joined by Adam McCarthy, CEO of ParaFlare.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Contested Ground podcast, where hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack how nations vie for influence below the threshold of armed conflict.

• In this episode, the hosts unpack how foreign actors sought to stoke tensions during the recent English riots and how social media echo chambers have caused a deep division in society.
• The hosts then look closer to home and how the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) recently raised Australia’s terror threat level, analysing a range of factors that have contributed to this, including how communities responded to the 7 October attacks in Israel.
• They wrap up the podcast debating whether the government and police should monitor speech online, and to what extent.

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The Contested Ground team

Hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant unpack the latest in cyber security policy, and how cyber is shaping up to become an election issue.

The pair begins by analysing the impact of the recent Solomon Islands-China agreement on Australian security, assessing the government and opposition’s policies around cyber security including Project REDSPICE.

The podcast continues with an analysis into whether these policies are achievable in their stated time frame, casting doubt on whether there is a sufficient flow of cyber security graduates to fill a large-scale expansion in the cyber security industry.

The pair wraps up by discussing the latest cyber security news, including recent data showing a fourfold increase in phishing attacks while Phil Tarrant shares insight on how his team seeks to continuously improve their cyber security protocols.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Ben Miller, chief information security officer at Dragos, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the increasing number of ransomware attacks directed towards industrial organizations and how OT/ICS operators can better protect their assets.

• The pair begin by unpacking how threat groups have adapted their TTPs to attack modern industrial organisations and how ransomware attacks on manufacturers continue to disrupt global supply chains.
• Miller then details how OT/ICS operators can strengthen their cyber security posture and how the industry can better collaborate to enhance cyber resilience.
• The podcast wraps up by unpacking how Dragos enhances the threat detection and response strategies of industrial operators and what the future of OT cyber security looks like.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of the Australian Defence Force’s Information Warfare Division, and Phil Tarrant unpack how information warfare is employed in the modern threat environment.

• The pair begin the podcast by analysing information operations surrounding the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and how information is harnessed to influence one’s adversaries to their will.
• They then examine how national power can be impacted through influence and military public affairs and how the magnitude of artificially generated content online can impact democracy.
• The pair wrap up the podcast by examining the geopolitical ramifications of the conflict.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Liam Garman, David Hollingworth, and Daniel Croft unpack a recent string of cryptocurrency-related compromises on X (formerly Twitter) and how threat actors have targeted Australian consumers over the Christmas break.

• The trio begin unpacking a recent post on X by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) endorsing bitcoin-tracked exchange traded funds (ETFs) and how the post is the latest in a long string of cryptocurrency scams on the site.
• They then discuss the latest breaking news with the ALPHV site being seized by the FBI.
• The podcast wraps up looking into The Iconic’s strong response to recent consumer compromises, as well as an attack on a local travel agent.

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The Cyber Daily team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Annie Haggar, principal at Cyber GC, joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson to discuss the emerging legislative and regulatory frameworks surrounding business cyber security requirements.

• The podcast begins by unpacking the federal government’s recently introduced cyber security strategies and the potential benefits of introducing a Cyber Security Act to simplify cyber legislation.
• Haggar then provides case studies to detail the legal implications of substandard cyber security practices for businesses that have been breached.
• The podcast wraps up with a discussion surrounding how to build greater awareness of cyber security requirements in the business world and the evolving domain of cyber law.
  
  

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Liam Garman, David Hollingworth, and Daniel Croft provide critical insights for business leaders on how to craft an investor and media relations strategy in the event of a breach.

The trio begin the podcast by discussing the latest news before diving into how cyber breaches require all hands on deck to get a company back to business as usual.

Hollingworth and Croft then provide anonymised case studies of investor and media relations strategies that have allowed companies to take control of the narrative.

The podcast wraps up with a list of top tips for businesses to get on the front foot in the event of a breach. 

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The Cyber Daily team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Mark Goudie, senior director of professional services at CrowdStrike, joins host Liam Garman to provide insight into the most prolific threats and vulnerabilities facing Australian businesses and how they can immediately take action to defend themselves.

In this special episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of the ADF's Information Warfare Division and Phil Tarrant, director – defence and security at Momentum Media, unpack the extent of the Optus hack, and how the data breach could impact regular Australians.

• Looking back at similar large-scale hacks that have shocked the industry, the pair observe how the normalisation of mass data breaches demands continued collaboration in the industry as hackers can target any business, at any time.
• The pair continue the podcast discussing the difficulty of attributing the attack to either state-based actors or criminal gangs, and recent trends in cyber victimology.
• The podcast wraps up with recommendations for Optus customers, including the use of new passwords, app-based two-factor authentication and monitoring for financial intrusion.

• The pair begin the podcast by analysing what the new-era ransomware and wiper attacks look like and how they can stop a business – even in critical industries – from delivering for their clients.
• Blake then unpacks the challenges behind incident containment before diving into Cohesity’s recent research, which showed alarming statistics on the number of Australian businesses that have paid ransoms.
• The pair wrap up the podcast by discussing how businesses must leverage backups in order to ensure business continuity, as Blake explains why backups are a CISO’s secret weapon in the war against malicious actors. 

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, managing director and chief executive officer of TrustedImpact Tom Crampton joins host Liam Garman to discuss how cyber security is becoming a whole of company challenge – from HR, through to finance, operations and senior management.

Founded in 2006, the boutique cyber security consulting firm has successfully conducted thousands of projects for over 300 commercial and government clients.

The podcast begins with a discussion around the meteoric rise of cyber security as a business risk, and how businesses have been forced to alter and change their operations to meet emerging threats.

The pair continues by analysing TrustedImpact’s awareness training, and the risk that untrained employees or maverick individuals could have on an organisation.

The podcast wraps up with a discussion around the future of Australia’s cyber security industry, including whether the current demand for cyber expertise will outstrip supply.

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The Cyber Security Uncut Team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant unpack the recent Volt Typhoon malware targeting critical infrastructure, and the motivations behind cyber security attacks. 

- Dr Thompson and Tarrant begin the podcast by unpacking the financial and reputational ramifications of a cyber security breach, examining how the Latitude hack has resulted in forecast losses of $95 million to $105 million.
-  The pair then discuss the recent Volt Typhoon malware that has targeted US critical infrastructure in Guam, which could disturb US military communications.
- The podcast wraps up by analysing recent comments from the AFP Commissioner on state-based hackers attacking Australian infrastructure, and how the military and law enforcement agencies can be better used to keep Australians safe.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team 

Hosts MAJGEN (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant highlight the need for cyber security awareness across the banking and finance sector.

The pair begin by issuing a warning over the spike in malicious cyber activity from Russian actors following the Commonwealth government’s decision to impose sanctions on the country in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

MAJGEN Thompson and Tarrant go on to discuss their contributions to strengthening cyber security awareness across the country, with the pair touring Australia to help inform the banking and finance community at The Adviser’s Better Business Summit 2022.

The hosts stress the importance of building cyber resilience in the sector, which they agree should be treated as critical infrastructure.

Finally, the pair explain how public policy and government-backed institutions can better equip organisations with the tools to combat cyber threats.

Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team.

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and MAJGEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of information warfare for the ADF, discuss Russia's history of cyber war and how this vector will continue to shape peace and conflict in the future.

The pair begin by discussing MAJGEN (Ret’d) Thompson’s recent opinion piece in The Australian Financial Review, which dives into Russia’s history of cyber and information warfare.

In his piece, he argues that Australia must better prepare itself for cyber attacks which will be weaponised in reprisal against Australia for supporting Ukraine during the recent conflict.

Both hosts continue by discussing the impact of cyber warfare on Australian businesses, and how many malicious actors work in concert with state-sponsored groups to exploit the cyber domain.

The pair wraps up the podcast by analysing how cyber remains an integral part in both hybrid and greyzone warfare, and that foreign actors will continue to use cyber as an essential attack vector in future conflicts.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of Cyber Security Uncut, Daniel Lai, chief executive officer of archTIS joins hosts MAJGEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson, chair of the Penten board and Phil Tarrant, director – defence and security at Momentum Media to unpack the latest in the cyber security industry.

To begin, the trio discusses the latest news and updates from the market, including how the pandemic has created new loopholes for threat actors to exploit – and how secure information sharing services, such as archTIS, have addressed those challenges.

The podcast then examines the changing trust environment, including security classifications and protecting information in an increasingly complex ecosystem, before examining the nexus between industry and government to build a resilient sovereign cyber industry.

The trio wraps up the podcast by discussing how archTIS and Penten navigate the business environment, while Lai explains how his business growth has been rooted in developing quality products.

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The Cyber Security Connect team

Liam Garman, editor of Cyber Security Connect, joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss the biggest cyber security news stories from 2021.

From reclassifying critical infrastructure to breaking commercial investments in the industry, join our hosts as we look back on an amazing year of achievements and announcements in Defence and defence industry.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson announce the rebranding of Cyber Security Connect into CyberDaily.au.

The pair also discuss:

• The reasoning behind the rebrand to Cyber Daily, mainly the broad-reaching impact of cyber life across government, the economy and at the individual level of daily life.
• The evolution of the cyber environment and the regulatory and legislative environments and their high-stakes implications for the nation and the individual Australian.
• The latest events from across the cyber news space, ranging from recent announcements by ASIC, the obligations that businesses and governments have to protect and further the evolution of the cyber domain.

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The Cyber Uncut Team.

In this episode, the Cyber Daily team went live at the Australian Cyber Security Summit, where we caught up with AUCloud’s Peter Maloney, Mercury ISS’ Edward Farrell, and Brendan Dowling – Australia’s ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technology.

• Farrell talks about his company’s 10-year journey and how Mercury ISS has expanded its cyber security offering.
• Dowling explains exactly what his role entails and the importance of international collaboration in fighting cyber crime.
• Maloney breaks down AUCloud’s 2024 Cyber Security Healthcare Report on the threats facing the healthcare industry and how the sector can protect itself in the face of growing cyber attacks.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of Cyber Security Uncut, Matthew Wilson, CEO of cyber technology firm Penten, joins hosts, Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant, director – defence and security at Momentum Media, to discuss the company’s growth strategy in the cyber security space.

The trio begin by announcing the appointment of MAJGEN (Ret’d) Thompson as the new chair of the Penten board, explaining how the company plans to leverage his experience to realise its ambitions.

Wilson then discusses the company’s recent capital raise, which aims to strengthen the company’s financial position in an effort to bolster investment.

The Penten CEO also explains how the company and other SMEs can support the nation’s broader push to enhance digital sovereignty, making particular reference to the importance of emerging encryption technology.

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The Cyber Security Connect Team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the social paradigm of post-truth and how Russia’s Internet Research Agency has exploited this to prosecute online disinformation campaigns.

• The pair begin defining post-truth and how individuals are increasingly using emotion and affiliative sensemaking to cut through information on the internet.
• They then look into case studies of how Russia’s Internet Research Agency prosecutes online information campaigns.
• Garman and Croft wrap up the podcast by examining how artificial intelligence will be used in future information environments.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson unpack the latest in the cyber security industry, providing the fundamental tips and tricks for businesses to maintain their cyber resilience.

In this special Cyber Resilience Week edition of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Linda Cavanagh, chief operating officer at Cybermerc to discuss how Australian companies have risen to the challenge to build a robust and innovative cyber security industry.

The pair begins by discussing the profile of the modern cyber criminal, and the emerging tools and vectors they use to conduct cyber crime.

The podcast then continues by discussing Cybermerc’s AUSHIELD offering, how their Protect, Defence and Detect solutions are game changers for protecting businesses.

The pair wraps up the podcast by looking at the future of cyber security, including what threats lurk on the horizon and how Cybermerc aims to overcome them.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack the hostile cyber threat environment facing Australia’s financial institutions.

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Liam Garman and David Hollingworth unpack how the US and Australian governments are holding social media giants responsible for their content and data safety.

• The pair begin by discussing revelations that Congress is looking to force ByteDance to sell TikTok in the United States to an approved third party or face being shut down. 
• They then discuss how Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety commissioner, is challenging X for hosting videos of the Wakeley stabbing attack and their rocky history.
• The podcast wraps up by analysing the recent OracleCMS hack. 

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The Cyber Uncut team

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 with Johnson opens with what some of the most reported scams are and how they work.

Johnson then goes into the challenges that ANZ and other banks face, from tracing accounts linked to money mules and offshore organised scam organisations to whether scam victims should be reimbursed once they’ve fallen victim and sent money to a scammer.

Finally, Johnson explains the unique challenges of being a first responder to scam victims and outlines the approach ANZ takes to support its employees on the coalface of the fight against scammers.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Lani Refiti, regional director – Australia/New Zealand at Claroty, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the relationship between cyber security, critical infrastructure and national security — and how this evolving sector impacts every Australian.

The pair begin the podcast discussing how IT security incidents relate to critical infrastructure, and Claroty’s expertise in protecting the nation’s essential assets.

Refiti then details some of the emerging cyber trends impacting Australian industry, civilian infrastructure and national security.

The pair wrap up the podcast discussing those emerging cyber and geopolitical risks that threaten Australia over the short and medium term.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of information warfare for the ADF, discuss the rapidly evolving domestic and global cyber security landscape.

The pair begins by flagging risks associated with the rise in polarisation, alarmism and sensationalism in the cyber space.

Tarrant and MAJGEN Thompson then discuss the importance of democratisation of information and openness in the industry, drawing on the Australian Signals Directorate’s recent engagement strategy.

The hosts go on to reflect on the Russia-Ukraine crisis – the potential outcome of the ongoing conflict, and Australia’s contribution to Ukraine’s resistance.

The pair concludes by discussing opportunities to address skills and workforce shortages in the cyber space, drawing on MAJGEN Thompson’s appearance on a panel discussion hosted by ParaFlare and Deloitte.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this special cross over podcast, MAJ GEN (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson joins Clare Pales, director of The Secure Board, as a guest on the Secure Board podcast.

The pair begin by analysing how recent legislative changes will impact Australia's cyber security environment, and the flow on effects that policy changes will have on local business.

Thompson and Pales continue the podcast discussing the importance of having cyber security expertise at senior management levels in companies to ensure that businesses have a cyber security culture.

The pair wrap up the podcast by discussing strategies on how businesses can maintain cyber safe practices.

Enjoy the podcast,

The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack what advertisers and business leaders can learn from military information warfare campaigns and just how many similarities these fields share.

• They begin the podcast by looking at the history of influence on the battlefield and how business leaders today seek to harness influence through social and traditional media to proliferate their messaging.
• The trio then look at core lessons from the Russian campaign during the 2016 presidential election in the US – and how Russia’s market segmentation delivers interesting lessons for modern advertisers.
• The podcast wraps up with an analysis of how branding and narrative can capture the imaginations of a target audience.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Peter Maloney, CEO and managing director of AUCloud, joins host Liam Garman to examine the 71 per cent year-on-year increase in cyber attacks against healthcare systems and the risks that this will pose for regular Australians.

• The pair begin the podcast by unpacking key findings from the 2024 Cyber Security Healthcare Report and the key factors that contribute to this alarming trend.
• Maloney then provides insight into the Monash Health and MediSecure data breaches and what steps that healthcare providers must take to prevent future breaches.
• They wrap up the podcast by looking at the ethical implications of healthcare data breaches, while Maloney details the must-need strategies and technologies to ameliorate this risk.

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The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Leon Poggioli, ANZ regional director at Claroty, joins host Liam Garman to discuss new cyber security requirements for Australian businesses, and how organisations can leverage cyber as a competitive advantage.

• The podcast begins analysing recent findings from Claroty’s research arm, Team82, that has discovered 95 IoT CVEs this calendar year alone, before unpacking the new and emerging regulatory requirements for Australian businesses under SLACIP.
• Poggioli then details common threat vectors impacting businesses including unpatched software and overlooked hardware such as CCTV cameras, and how businesses can create remediation programs to protect their networks.
• The pair then discuss the risks of failing to meet new SLACIP obligations including loss of business and potential liabilities for directors, and how businesses should view cyber security as a competitive advantage to attract talent and enhance business continuity.
• The podcast wraps up with some top tips to keep your business safe, and how Claroty can help protect your organisation.

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The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this week’s podcast, Lani Refiti, regional director, ANZ at Claroty, joins hosts MAJ GEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant, director – defence and security at Momentum Media, to discuss securing Australia’s critical infrastructure amid an evolving cyber threat landscape.

The podcast begins by analysing the latest news and updates from the cyber security industry, including balancing workforce demands for privacy despite remote work, as well as the latest in a long string of cyber attacks overseas.

The trio then dives into analysing Claroty’s core business offering as an industrial cyber security company, focusing on two crucial areas: critical infrastructure and defence industries.

The podcast then analyses Claroty’s efforts in protecting Australia’s critical infrastructure from threat actors, and whether the government’s new critical infrastructure bill was sufficient to address the current cyber security threat landscape.

Lani then discusses how “black swan” cyber incidents aren’t far-fetched concepts – but growing realities in an increasingly cyber world.

The podcast wraps up by analysing Claroty’s ambitious plans in the region including optimising their current service offerings, and how the industry can amplify awareness of the cyber threat environment.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how foreign actors are targeting persons of interest on social media and how Australians are falling victim to unsophisticated credential stuffing campaigns.

• Like all news over recent months, the podcast begins talking about Taylor Swift – and how regular Australians became victims of credential stuffing campaigns on a popular ticketing website.
• The podcast continues with a look into pop culture deepfakes and how artificial intelligence (AI) poses a risk to geopolitical stability.
• The pair wrap up the podcast by looking into ASIO’s Annual Threat Assessment and how foreign actors have targeted people of interest online, before analysing some of the world’s most high-profile recent data breaches.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of Cyber Security Uncut, Alex Tilley, head of intelligence and research, APAC at Secureworks, joins our hosts MAJGEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant to discuss the evolving cyber threat landscape.

The podcast begins with a wrap up from MAJGEN Marcus Thompson on the latest in the cyber security industry, including discussing findings from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the release of the exposure draft for the second critical infrastructure bill.

Tilley then gives a snapshot of the threat landscape including his insights into the emerging and evolving Log4j vulnerability.

The trio then analyses how the industry uses critical scenarios, such as widely exploited vulnerabilities, as learning opportunities to inform the next generation of threat response mechanisms in the cyber domain.

The podcast wraps up by analysing the changing character of cyber crime, with criminals moving from targeting large corporations to targeting individuals and small businesses.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Rob Parker, partner at Deloitte Australia, joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant to discuss how Deloitte Australia is helping service Australia’s cyber needs.

• The podcast begins with a discussion on the growing consideration for cyber security within the federal government, including through the recent appointment of Clare O’Neil as Minister for Cyber Security.
• Parker then outlines how Deloitte Australia is strengthening Australia’s cyber resilience including providing managed services, before outlining the gaps in Australia’s cyber market.
• The podcast wraps up with a discussion of how SMEs can improve their cyber capabilities.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Cyber Security Connect’s David Hollingworth and Liam Garman unpack the latest news from the United States to manage the risks of TikTok.

• The pair begin the podcast by discussing recent moves by US states to ban the use of TikTok on government phones.
• They continue by assessing recent legislation from the US Senate to oversee the platform.
• Hollingworth and Garman then continue with looking at the impact of TikTok in Australia.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this special episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how the Commonwealth’s recently unveiled Defence Strategic Review will influence Australia’s cyber security industry.

• The pair begin the podcast by unpacking how the DSR was fundamental to give certainty to industry and how it is encouraging that cyber is acknowledged among the traditional warfighting domains of land, air and sea.
• Tarrant and MAJGEN (Ret’d) Dr Thompson then examine how the space domain is expected to play a bigger role in the ADF — and how this can apply to the continuing growth of cyber in Defence.
• The podcast wraps up by analysing the future of information and cyber warfare in Australia.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Absolute Software chief technology officer Nicko van Someren joins host Liam Garman to unpack how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can be used by both cyber response teams and threat actors – and AI/ML’s inherent limitations.

• The pair begin the podcast by demarcating AI and advanced ML and how the inability of individuals to grasp the full potential of AI is hampering its continued development in business applications.
• Van Someren and Garman then unpack how AI is being used by threat actors and response teams, from automated anomaly detection through to code generation.
• The pair wrap up the podcast by unpacking van Someren’s philosophy on neural networks, how businesses need to embed a culture of cyber resilience and how Absolute Software can help businesses on their cyber security journey.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and MAJGEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson analyse the effects of cyber manipulation on the world as we know it.

The pair begin by discussing the impact of information warfare on politics, and how emerging cyber tools such as deepfakes could be used by threat actors to foment political and international conflict.

The podcast continues by diving into the applications of cyber warfare in the modern conflict space and how threat actors use cyber vectors to achieve non-kinetic advantages over their adversaries.

The pair wraps up the podcast by discussing the impact of cyber surveillance on individuals and businesses, encouraging companies to implement cyber security protocols when employees travel overseas.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Raj Samani, senior vice-president and chief scientist at Rapid7, joins host Liam Garman to provide intelligence direct from the cyber security battlefield.

• The pair begin the podcast by discussing the links between leading threat groups and rogue states, detailing their TTPs and operating models.
• Samani then unpacks recent findings from North Korea’s Kimsuky threat group, lifting the veil on how such threat actors target companies and how Rapid7 works with governments and businesses to keep them safe online.
• The podcast wraps up by examining emerging TTP trends and how businesses can build effective systems and processes to monitor their organisation’s attack surface.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Robert Lee, chief executive officer and co-founder of ICS/OT technology provider Dragos, joins Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson to analyse the threat of cyber breaches on national infrastructure.

• The podcast begins unpacking Lee’s passion for defending critical civilian infrastructure, before assessing whether Australian companies are prepared to defend their systems from sophisticated state-based attackers.
• Lee then unpacks the corporate, economic, and physical risks of a cyber attack on Australian infrastructure — from board members being held liable for breaches through to the physical destruction of energy sources.
• Lee, Thompson, and Tarrant then discuss the myth of isolated systems, observing that industrial systems are almost always connected to a broader network and not immune from penetration.
• Wrapping up the podcast, Lee provides fundamental lessons to business leaders and discusses how Dragos helps keep businesses safe.

To learn more about Dragos and recent ICS/OT trends, you can visit the Dragos Year in Review 2022 here.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss the impact of the major HWL Ebsworth attack and the response given by Australia’s first cyber security coordinator, Air Marshal Darren Goldie, while diving into the latest news in cyber security.

• The podcast begins with a discussion of ANZ bank CEO’s decision not to sign up to a voluntary anti-scam code that would see banks required to reimburse those who fall victim to scams.
• Garman and Croft then discuss the impact of the HWL Ebsworth breach and the statement that cyber security coordinator Air Marshal Darren Goldie released regarding his response to the attack.
• They then wrap up the podcast by outlining the current status of artificial intelligence (AI) regulation and the concerns raised by both governments and the private sector regarding the risks of AI development with disinformation and more.

Hosts Phil Tarrant and MAJ GEN (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson join the studio to discuss the latest breaking news and updates from the cyber security industry.

The pair begin by analysing the impact that malicious cyber security operations have on regular companies, especially those outside of the cyber security industry, and that many firms have been slow to understand the true implications of poor cyber protocols.

The podcast then analyses the growing market around cyber security insurance, and the apprehension among some insurers to cover cyber risk.

The pair wrap up the podcast by analysing the role of intelligence and law enforcement agencies in combating cyber crime, and the difficulties they face in bringing cyber criminals to justice.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson discuss how malicious actors are targeting Australian courts and how Australians can keep themselves safe from the threat of credential stuffing.

• The pair begin the podcast by unpacking the Commonwealth’s sanctions on the Medibank hacker and how Australian courts have been in the crosshairs of malicious actors.
• Tarrant and Dr Thompson then unpack the recently leaked package of 26 billion documents, collated from some of the world’s top brands, and how Australians can protect themselves from credential stuffing campaigns.
• They wrap up by examining the ethics of ransomware payments – even when the clean-up cost is greater than the cost of the ransom.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Daily team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Mercury ISS’ Edward Farrell and Niru Verma join host Steve Kuper to discuss the latest trends in cyber security and the importance of building a tailor-made security strategy for your business.

• The trio begin the podcast by unpacking how cyber security underpins all military capabilities, whether on land, at sea, or in the air, before discussing the importance of instituting threat-driven approaches to cyber.
• Farrell and Verma then unpack the latest trends in cyber security and how businesses should build bespoke cyber security strategies that address the most likely vectors for attack, as opposed to the vulnerabilities that are most in vogue.
• They then discuss the most concerning threats for businesses, before examining just how easily threat actors can use credential stuffing to break into your organisation’s network.
• The podcast wraps up by examining Mercury’s philosophy of prevention over response, before discussing what is next on their business horizon.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Daily team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the MOVEit file transfer breach and discuss proposals to label AI-generated content.

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson discuss how the industry can leverage recommendations put forward by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to build a stronger cyber security industry and how cyber can be used as a tool for diplomacy.

• The pair begin the podcast by discussing breaking news in the cyber security industry with the acquisition of ParaFlare by Deloitte Australia.
• Dr Thompson and Tarrant then discuss the lack of confidence in Australia’s cyber security industry and examine how recommendations within the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s three-year strategic plan can be leveraged to keep Australian businesses safe.
• The pair wrap up the podcast discussing identity reform and how the Commonwealth can leverage cyber security as a tool of diplomacy.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Lesley Carhart, director of incident response for North America at Dragos, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how businesses can improve their ICS/OT cyber processes, before giving some tangible advice for business leaders on how they can build their incident response plans.

• The pair begin the podcast by unpacking some common and emerging threat trends being observed across ICS environments and how companies need to build a bridge between IT and OT teams to protect assets.
• Carhart then details why OT security is so immature relative to IT security and shares some practical steps that organisations must take to protect their ICS.
• The podcast wraps up with some tangible advice on how businesses can build incident response plans, ensuring that they can streamline the resumption of operations in the event of a cyber incident.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack the latest in cyber security, from national security IP theft to the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI).

• The pair begin the podcast by unpacking recent US defence technology data theft cases and recent concerns from the FBI on the US’ cyber workforce, diving into how law enforcement agencies can collaborate with militaries to build a stronger cyber posture.
• Dr Thompson and Tarrant then unpack the ethics of AI, discussing recent comments from the chief executive of ChatGPT creator OpenAI calling for greater regulation of AI.
• The podcast wraps up by looking into the government’s recently announced National Anti-Scam Centre and how cyber resilience is a job for everybody — not just big business.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut podcast

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Liam Garman, David Hollingworth, and Daniel Croft unpack the biggest news stories for 2023 – and dive into the recent Rhysida and ALPHV attacks.

• The trio begin the podcast by unpacking the latest hack against Insomniac Games by Rhysida, which saw over a terabyte of data leaked online, as well as recent movements within the ALPHV ransomware gang.
• They then unpack the top five news stories of the year.
• Garman, Hollingworth, and Croft then wrap up the podcast by discussing recent research on a recently uncovered Chinese disinformation campaign.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant cover the latest breaking news in cyber security and question whether Australia needs more stringent data retention regulations.

• The pair begin the podcast unpacking the fallout from the war in Ukraine and how conflict prompts actors to rethink the application of technology in conflict.
• Dr Thompson and Tarrant then analyse the breadth of the recent Latitude Financial hack and how it only takes a short window prior to detection and response for threat actors to steal or encrypt critical data.
• The podcast wraps up with a discussion surrounding data retention and whether companies should retain identification documentation, prompting Dr Thompson to suggest a rethink in how companies retain sensitive data.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of Cyber Security Uncut, Paula Oliver, manager at AustCyber South Australia Node, joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss the upcoming event “How to give your business champagne level security on a beer budget”.

Hosted virtually on the 23rd of February, the free event is designed to help businesses build their cyber security resilience on a budget and features keynote speakers from across the industry, including Paula.

Throughout the podcast, the pair discusses how cyber security is impacting businesses both big and small, the impact of sustained cyber attacks on the economy and analyses recent trends such as invoice threats and email compromise.

The podcast wraps up with an analysis of the digital workplace, including the need to view cyber security as a business risk and discussing Australia’s future cyber workforce.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut podcast

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 competition to militarisation of civilian capabilities to compel an adversary beneath the threshold of armed conflict.
• The trio then discuss lessons from the Taliban in Afghanistan, including the utilisation of information to seize control of the narrative.
• They then examine the need to seize freedom of manoeuvre in the online domain, and the risks of forfeiting social media.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman joins Cyber Security Connect journalist Daniel Croft to unpack whether the Commonwealth should ban ransomware payments, before turning to discuss the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in cyber security.

• The pair begin the podcast by assessing whether legislation to ban ransoms would, in fact, hurt the victims yet further and whether it will create additional illicit markets for threat actors.
• Garman and Croft then unpack how AI and advanced machine learning can be used to improve business practices, and how these new systems can be exploited by threat actors.
• They wrap up the podcast by examining the ethical and security risks of data aggregation in the era of information operations.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this transformative episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman announce the upcoming rebrand of Cyber Security Connect to Cyber Daily and the launch of the reinvigorated Cyber Uncut podcast.

Following the success of Cyber Security Connect, Cyber Daily will unpack and analyse all areas of digital transformation – ranging from cyber security, artificial intelligence and information systems through to modern digitally enabled business solutions to help Australian organisations leverage the cyber revolution.

We hope you enjoy the podcast, and our hosts will be back next week with the newly launched Cyber Uncut podcast.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, shadow minister for cyber security and shadow minister for countering foreign interference, Senator James Paterson joins hosts Phil Tarrant and MAJGEN (retired) Dr Marcus Thompson to discuss the regulatory impediments preventing Australia from becoming a leader in cyber security.

The group begins the podcast discussing the cyber security threats facing Australia and the role of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

Senator Paterson then details how foreign interference and espionage have overtaken terrorism as the primary security concern for Australia.

The team wraps up the podcast in outlining the importance of attracting the right talent with the right skills to power Australian cyber security businesses.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Sabeen Malik, vice-president of global government affairs and public policy at Rapid7, joins Liam Garman to discuss the changing nature of global tech policy – applauding Australia’s stringent cyber security legislation.

• The pair begin the podcast by discussing Malik’s time developing tech policy within the Obama administration and how there is a hesitancy among policymakers to acknowledge the nefarious application of popular new technologies.
• Malik then applauds Australia as a world leader in cyber security and recommends that Australia could strengthen its frameworks yet further with privacy regulations that make cyber personally relevant to all individuals and organisations.
• They then discuss the necessity of public-private partnerships for cyber security, given the expertise of the private sector.
• The podcast wraps up with some tips for businesses to get ahead of the curb and prepare for future regulations in the sector, including developing bespoke processes based on unique risk profiles.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this week’s podcast, Narelle Devine CSM, chief information security officer, Asia Pacific at Telstra, joins hosts MAJ GEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant, director defence and security at Momentum media, to discuss cyber security challenges from the perspective of one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies.

Devine begins by discussing her transition from decades of service with the Royal Australian Navy to a successful career in the civilian space, supporting cyber security integration across both the public and private sector.

Telstra’s CISO then discusses the cyber security challenges facing the globe, noting the spike in malicious activity, particularly the targeting of consumers through mobile communications scams.

Devine outlines the strategies employed by stakeholders to counter cyber threats, including direct efforts to curtail criminal actors and broader efforts to bolster resilience across the community.

The discussion continues with an analysis of the range of threat vectors, with Devine explaining while ransomware in particular is top of mind for CISOs.

The trio then delve into the ongoing challenges associated with building Australia’s cyber workforce, with Devine outlining strategies to retain and attract highly-skilled talent.

Finally, Devine explains how Telstra is shaping their strategy to prepare for the future threat environment.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut Podcast, Dr Torsten George, vice president, corporate and product marketing at Absolute, joins Liam Garman to discuss the dynamic threat of endpoint risk — and how businesses can build a cyber security offering that expedites recovery in the event of a breach.

• The pair begin the podcast establishing how endpoint risk threatens small, medium and large businesses, and assess the cyber security practises that allowed some businesses to thrive or dive in the era of remote work.
• The podcast continues with an analysis into the current threat trends within the endpoint risk environment, and how businesses can address such risks.
• Dr George explains Absolute’s recommendation for businesses to develop a “go bag” in the event of a cyber breach, noting that it is not enough to just have preventative security — but also frameworks to expedite recovery.
• The pair wrap up the podcast by discussing the emergence of cyber security insurance, andwhether it is sufficient in the modern threat environment.

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Andrew Hastie, shadow minister for defence, joins co-hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Information Warfare Division and Phil Tarrant, director – defence and security at Momentum Media, to discuss Australia’s broader defence strategy.

• The trio begin by discussing the rapidly evolving geostrategic environment against the backdrop of an ongoing conflict in eastern Europe and growing instability in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Hastie, a veteran of the ADF, then stresses the importance of strengthening Australia’s defence and security posture, making particular reference to enhancing cyber readiness.
• He goes on to explain why the Commonwealth government must continue investing in Australia’s sovereign industrial capability to reduce dependence on foreign networks.
• The shadow minister for defence concludes by outlining his top three priorities over the next three years.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of Cyber Uncut, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the latest cyber security news, complete with some interesting lessons for business leaders from this year’s Australian Cyber Security Summit.

• The pair begin the podcast with an update on allegations of a breach at a global professional services company, before analysing how businesses need to refine post-breach communications by including receptionists, assistants and call centres in their strategies.
• They then look at the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s recent judgment on the cause of the Optus hack, and recent moves from LockBit targeting US financial institutions and the Indonesian government.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Corey Thomas, chief executive officer of Rapid7, joins host Liam Garman to analyse the cyber security posture of Australia’s leading companies — and what they can learn from around the globe.

• The pair begin the podcast discussing the changing cyber security landscape and Rapid7’s recent analysis into the attack surface of the ASX 200.
• The podcast continues by unpacking current victimology trends impacting top Australian companies, and what these companies can learn from their US counterparts.
• The pair wrap up the podcast analysing Rapid7’s threat detection capabilities and why customer data, rather than financial information, is the target of large-scale attacks.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut Team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Chris Fisher, regional director of ANZ at Vectra AI, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are creating new exploits for malicious actors, and how cyber professionals can best prepare for these emerging threats.

• Fisher and Garman begin the podcast by examining how threat actors exploit generative AI tools, which are used to drive business efficiency, to expedite access to sensitive data.
• Fisher addresses some common misconceptions in cyber security about the use of AI: how effective is AI-generated script? Can it be used to identify zero-days? What does the future of AI look like in cyber security?
• The pair then address how cyber security professionals can leverage AI within their own teams to drive efficiency in prioritising and executing likely threats.
• They wrap up the podcast with some top tips for businesses to protect themselves against emerging threats emanating from AI.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant unpack the latest trends in the cyber security industry, from victimology through to corporate active defence capabilities.

• The pair begin the podcast discussing current trends in the cyber security industry, with Dr Thompson unpacking the concerns from leading chief information security officers (CISOs) across Australia.
• The podcast then continues with a deep dive into the industry’s most important news stories, including the role of cyber attacks in modern warfare, business-led offensive cyber operations, and attacks on university infrastructure.
• The pair wrap up the podcast with an analysis into current victimology trends arising due to global political volatility. 

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Matt Wilcox, founder and chief executive of FifthDomain, joins host Liam Garman to unveil the company’s new Cyber National Assessment Program for Skills and Employment (CYNAPSE).

• The pair begin the podcast unpacking how the CYNAPSE program will advance Australia’s cyber security industry and how pre-employment testing will support cyber security companies in growing their talent base.
• Wilcox and Garman then continue to unpack early insights into the program’s success and how they’ve enabled partner companies to hire a diverse talent pool of cyber security professionals.
• The podcast wraps up by unpacking what steps Australians can take to improve their cyber security posture and how FifthDomain has proactively supported the cyber security industry.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this special Cyber Resilience Week episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, senior threat intelligence analyst at Dragos, Conor McLaren, joins host Liam Garman to unpack emerging cyber threats in the industrial control systems and operational technology sector.

The podcast begins by discussing Dragos’ recent expansion into Australia and how building robust ICS/OT cyber security practices is essential for defending civilisation against malicious actors.

The pair continues by analysing the newly discovered ICS malware framework dubbed PIPEDREAM, a highly flexible toolset that is capable of causing disruption, degradation, and possibly even destruction depending on the associated targets and environment. McLaren then provides an assessment of the theoretical applications of PIPEDREAM to potentially threaten ICS/OT functions across multiple industries and geographies.

The podcast wraps up by discussing future threats to ICS/OT, with McLaren providing key recommendations to organisations to protect their business operations.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Reece Corbett-Wilkins and Avryl Lattin, partners at global law firm Clyde & Co, join hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson to discuss how cyber security is becoming a legal obligation for firms.

The podcast begins with an analysis into the proceedings of the Federal Court against RI Advice, in which ASIC argued that cyber security controls within businesses were fundamental to minimise the threat of data misuse.

The guests continue with an analysis of the requirements of financial services reporting in the event of cyber security breaches.

Finally, the podcast wraps up with an examination of how businesses can ensure that they are meeting their obligations for data protection.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and MAJGEN (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson unpack the latest events in cyber security within Australia and beyond.

• The podcast begins with an analysis of the impact of recent Commonwealth cyber security legislation and regulation on small businesses;
• It continues with an examination into the nexus between business and security, assessing Microsoft’s recent report on cyber operations since the invasion of Ukraine;
• The pair then continue discussing the latest news from the cyber world, including the confirmation that Chinese employees can access TikTok user’s data as well as the recent Deakin University attack;
• The podcast wraps up with a discussion of the ACCC’s plan to stop malicious actors targeting Australians, as well as the recent investment boosts to national security projects.

On this episode of Cyber Security Uncut, Bex Nitert, managing consultant digital forensics and incident response at ParaFlare joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant to discuss Australia’s cyber threat response industry.

The podcast begins with a discussion between the hosts about recently passed legislation, dubbed the Magnitsky Act, which seeks to ban human rights abusers, cyber criminals and corrupt officials from entering Australia and giving the commonwealth the opportunity to seize assets.

The trio then discuss digital forensics and threat response operations, and how businesses need to be proactive about cyber security to ensure that business functions don’t suffer breaches.
The podcast then analyses the skills and requirements for future cyber professionals, including the “art versus science” of intelligence.

The trio wraps up by examining how professionals in the cyber industry are able to help build a more secure Australia by collaborating with law enforcement agencies, and discuss profiles of cyber crime actors.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

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 capabilities.
• The shadow minister then discusses how decision makers must clearly articulate the grey zone and kinetic risks that Australia faces, and outlines what some of his key objectives would be in government.
• The podcast wraps up discussing Ukraine’s continued fight for freedom.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Tim Jones, managing director of Hyprfire, joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr  Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant to discuss the importance of an active defence system and the nexus between academia and the cyber security industry.

• The podcast begins unpacking why businesses are not sufficiently protected if they rely solely on passive protection frameworks, as well as the growing endpoint risk posed by increased interconnectivity.
• The trio then unpack some fundamental lessons for cyber start-ups, and discuss the transference of knowledge between academia and the cyber industry.
• The podcast wraps up with a discussion around how sales teams and product development teams can best work together to grow their cyber security businesses.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Liam Garman, David Hollingworth, and Daniel Croft unpack a crazy week in cyber security – with millions of Australians caught up in attacks through to splits within the hacking community. 

• The trio unpack the recent Ticketmaster breach – with millions of users impacted nationwide – and the surprising name behind the attack. 
• They then discuss BreachForums coming back online – and a recent split that has happened in the hacking community in response to the forum’s re-emergence. 
• Garman, Hollingworth, and Croft wrap up the podcast by looking at new reporting guidelines for businesses and some crazy tweets surrounding the government’s Digital ID laws.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Daily podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Liam Garman unpack how society must come to terms with the growing magnitude of IT mishaps and recent changes to Australia’s cyber security leadership. 

• The podcast begins by analysing the CrowdStrike IT outage and how IT mishaps will increasingly threaten society as we know it – discussing alternatives, including supplier diversification for business and government redundancies. 
• They then discuss the appointment of Minister Tony Burke as Australia’s new cyber security minister and whether his responsibilities – including the portfolios of home affairs, immigration, arts and cyber security, will give cyber enough time around the cabinet table. 
• They wrap up by looking at how local government continues to be a weak link in Australia’s cyber security chain. 

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Liam Garman and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how businesses can implement protocols to protect their systems from third-party compromise.

• In the podcast, the pair examine the recent TissuPath and Pareto data breaches, observing that no matter how secure an organisation’s networks may be – externally hosted data is always at risk.
• Dr Thompson and Garman then discuss how businesses must develop a whole-of-company response to data breaches from IT teams through to the media and legal departments.
• They wrap up the podcast by examining reputational risk and how only 27 per cent of Australian companies revealed their cyber incidents to the relevant authorities.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Edward Farrell, director and principal consultant at Mercury Information Security Services joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson to discuss the world of cyber assurance testing.

• The trio begin the podcast by defining whether “ethical hacking” is an appropriate blanket term for advisers engaged in cyber assurance testing, before assessing the relationship between ethics and ideology in penetration testing. 
• The podcast then continues unpacking the importance of grappling with multiple points of view to understand the motivations behind threat actors, before Farrell unpacks his day-to-day work in penetration testing. 
• The podcast wraps up by looking into how one might pursue a career in penetration testing, before examining the difference between external and internal pen testers and how they can help businesses.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Mick Ryan joins hosts Major General (Ret’d) Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant to discuss the recent conflict in Ukraine, modern security and the worsening geopolitical situation.

Ryan begins the podcast by providing an analysis into the ongoing War in Ukraine, drawing two conclusions that the recent conflict has reaffirmed: the importance of realistic strategy, and that strategies must be based on tested assumptions. He then explains that Russia cannot win the conflict, meaning that their best outcome is to bring the war to an end in the medium term.

Both Ryan and Thompson then analyse the marriage between information and warfare, and how the Ukrainians have seemingly implemented Gerasimov’s notion of hybrid warfare better than the Russian military.

The conversation continues, with Ryan outlining the essential takeaways for Western governments from the recent conflict, including the importance of the integration of military and national power and the reaffirmed importance of joint domain capabilities including cyber.

The trio wraps up the podcast by analysing the recent geopolitical vicissitudes in the Asia-Pacific – including an analysis on China’s Taiwan ambitions and the impact of China’s arrangements with the Solomon Islands.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

Cyber Security Uncut presents a new quarterly podcast series with Claroty. In this first episode, the company’s vice-president of cyber safety strategy, Joshua Corman, talks to host Liam Garman to shed light on how cyber criminals can remotely access medical devices and healthcare infrastructure — threatening human safety.

• The pair begin the podcast discussing Corman’s experience as a white hat hacker, before analysing the extent to which medical devices can be accessed by cyber criminals.
• Corman and Garman then discuss how attacks against healthcare providers can be a simple task for some hackers, and those fundamental steps that hospitals and infrastructure providers must take to reduce their threat surface and keep people safe.
• The podcast wraps up by unpacking the must-need tools for businesses to protect their operations, including Claroty’s asset discovery and proprietary protocol offerings to build a resilient OT network.

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Tony Howell, global chief architect, defence and intelligence at archTIS, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Act 2022 and how the new government obligations will impact Australian businesses.

• The pair commence the podcast by discussing what obligations the SLACIP Act will place on businesses and which businesses will have to meet higher cyber security standards.
• Howell and Garman then discuss what happens to businesses that fail to meet their cyber obligations and what constitutes requirements to identify threats “as far as reasonably practicable”.
• The podcast wraps up by unpacking how archTIS can help businesses meet their cyber security requirements in an era of new and emerging legislative frameworks.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Absolute Software cyber security evangelist Dr Torsten George joins host Liam Garman to unpack why organisations need to prioritise cyber resilience over cyber security and how a culture of resilience will enable stronger defence and recovery in the event of a breach.

• The pair begin the podcast by recapping Dr George’s recent world tour, providing much-needed insight into how international organisations are refining their approaches to cyber security.
• Dr George then defines a framework of cyber resilience compared to that of cyber security and how this enables businesses to enhance their defences and resume business operations.
• The podcast wraps up by unpacking how the era of remote work is creating endpoint risks for businesses and those emerging threats that businesses must maintain awareness of.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Alex Wilson, director of solutions engineering (APJ) at Yubico, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the weaknesses of traditional two-factor authentication and how businesses can strengthen their security through physical two-factor keys.

• The pair begin the podcast by discussing how threat actors can manipulate digital two-factor authentication measures and the challenges of rolling out 2FA across a workforce.
• Wilson and Garman then analyse some use cases for physical 2FA, delivering a simple cyber security solution for individuals as well as large and small businesses.
• The podcast wraps up by examining how Yubico’s YubiKey can be rolled out to provide cyber security assurances to keep business data safe.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team