Security Breach

Insider threats are creating new attack vectors, but old-school solutions could rise to the challenge.

Regardless of the situation or dynamic, everyone likes to think that they’re special. However, with experience we learn that appreciating both the shared similarities, as well as some of those unique traits, are how we can best solve problems. 

A great example is a recent conversation I had with Umaimah Khan, founder and CEO of Opal...

In many instances the biggest challenge facing OT cybersecurity practitioners is knowing where to focus resources, especially their time. In other words, what are the priorities for the enterprise, facility and people?

I recently sat down with Securin's Lead Threat Intelligence Analyst - Aviral Verma. And while I anticipated a conversation focused on vulnerabilities and the threat landscape, discussing these topics led to deepe...

One of the great things about covering industrial cybersecurity is the number of reports, studies and white papers being produced right now to help provide intelligence on threats, research on new tools, and data on leading trends.

The tough part is sorting through all this data and, at some point, prioritizing it in order to get the most and best information.

One source that I look forward to each year is IBM’s X-Force Threat Intell...

Endpoint security tools worked, but the hackers worked harder for their payday.

While everyone likes to know how someone else might have screwed up and what the fallout looks like, the more import elements of episodes like this one come from the in-depth conversations about new tactics and strategies that are being used by the bad guys, and simultaneously, the insight on new best practices for the good guys.

So while I did enjoy divi...

We talk a lot about the growing complexity of hacking groups and how their tools and tactics continue to evolve. One such evolution is the ongoing specialization that runs rampant throughout the black hat community – especially when it comes to ransomware. 

The rise of initial access brokers, affiliate programs, spoofing domain creators, dark web communities, and more are fueling ransomware-as-a-service groups and posing new cyberse...

Breaking down silos while securing the cloud and leveraging secure-by-design advancements.

The challenges facing the industrial OT landscape that emanate from external sources are … varied, complex and constantly evolving. Smarter hacking groups, AI-driven phishing schemes and deceptive malware viruses head the list of concerns.

And while these factors show no signs of fading, the reality is that there are just as many challenges fac...

One of the goals of the show is to help you better understand all the threats facing your OT assets, your data and your people. In order to do that, we work to identify those individuals with a feel and in-depth understanding of these threats and the evolving network of threat actors.

And I can’t think of anyone better to break down the hacker landscape than an individual whose research has led to being followed by well-known data b...

When we talk about the threat landscape for the industrial sector, the eye-catching, headline-grabbing hacking groups with nefarious names typically lead the list of concerns. And while understanding their well-publicized exploits are important, what is often overlooked are all the little things these groups were able to do before dropping malware, shutting down networks, extorting ransoms, and stealing data.

This is where taking th...

While we’re still in the infancy of 2025, the New Year has proven to have no issues in welcoming in a number of pre-existing challenges – whether we’re talking about cybersecurity or … other social topics.

So, in continuing this trend, we tapped into a unique collection of voices to discuss a topic that has, and will continue to be, vital to industrial cybersecurity efforts – Artificial Intelligence. 

First, we’ll hear from Mandiant’...

The continued evolution of the CyberAv3ngers hacking group and its IIoT-focused malware.

We talk a lot about change on Security Breach. Some of it’s good and obviously some of it makes us want to tear our hair out. Well, this episode, surprisingly, should go easy on the scalp, even though it will focus on the IOCONTROL malware strand recently detected by Noam Moshe and Claroty’s Team82. 

The malware is described as a custom...

Winston Churchill famously stated that, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” 

His concerns about applying lessons learned to post WWII foreign policy initiatives rings just as true in the current cybersecurity climate. So, in an effort to ensure we repeat as few of 2024’s mistakes in 2025, we’re going to take a look at some of the industrial sector’s biggest exploits, and offer solutions and strategies in ...

As we begin to close out 2024 and look ahead to 2025, I couldn’t resist the urge to revisit some of my favorite guests from the last couple of months.

While I’m grateful for everyone we’ve had on the show, and all the support we continue to receive from the industrial cybersecurity community, I felt these comments were worth another listen, with special focus being given to a handful of the most critical issues confronting our OT en...

According to Fortinet’s 2024 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report, 43 percent of those surveyed reported a loss of business critical data or intellectual property so far in 2024– a number this is up nearly 10 percent from last year. 

And we all know what happens with this hijacked data. 

Per the World Economic Forum’s May 2024 white paper, the number of ransomware attacks on industrial infrastructure doubled in 20...

Next to artificial intelligence, one of the biggest buzz terms in industrial cybersecurity right now might be SBOM, or software bill of materials. The term generates equal parts concern and eye roll as those entrusted with enterprise defense look to ensure that there are no embedded vulnerabilities amongst the data platforms they are both sourcing and utilizing within their offerings. 

Perhaps most frustrating is having to essential...

We assembled some "nerds from the basement" to cover a key strategy in combatting evolving threats.

Today’s episode is going to take on a little different flavor, as we’re going to show you one particular tool that can impact a number of your security planning, training and discovery strategies.

While table top exercises are nothing new, we’re going to demonstrate how they’re evolving and can be customized accordi...

For this episode, instead of tapping into one source for feedback and updates on industrial cybersecurity, we’re going to look at some of the key insights previous guests have offered on the evolving threat landscape – from increased risks emanating from technological integrations and an uptick in automation, to the more traditional adversaries responsible for next-generation malware, ransomware and phishing schemes. 

To kick things...

While there are plenty of unknowns when it comes to protecting the OT attack surface, there are some things that are undeniably true.

We know that the frequency of attacks will continue to increase.

We know that it’s not if your ICS will be probed, but when.

And we also know that asset and connection visibility is an ongoing challenge due to the implementation of more automated technology.

Finally, we also know that one of the most imp...

Maybe you’re sick of hearing about phishing schemes and the way hackers are using this strategy to infiltrate your networks, access intellectual data, shut down production, or hold your assets for ransom. If that’s the case, then you’ve made a lot of hackers very happy.

And based on Proofpoint’s 2024 State of Phish report, protecting against phishing schemes is simply not being reinforced or given the proper priority. For example,

So, my daughters like to give me a hard time about growing old. 

Said another way, I’m a legacy asset - just like most of the devices many of you observe, manage and secure every day. Your machines are still in place because they work. While the technology around these assets has evolved, their core functionality and value to the production process has remained constant. 

But as sensors, network connections and access parameters have...