In case you didn't have the chance to attend CyberTalks, we have the keynote address from the event: National Cyber Director Harry Coker highlighted the White House's focus on strategy and policy to address internet routing vulnerabilities, particularly with the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). Coker emphasized the importance of Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) for authenticating BGP routing information, acknowledging its slow adoption and implementation challenges, but reported progress with expectations for significant federal coverage by year's end.

In our reporter chat, Greg Otto talks with Tim Starks about his story examining the legal barriers anti-spyware advocates are dealing with in a number of high-profile court cases aimed at bringing victims justice.

LINK: https://cyberscoop.com/spyware-court-cases-nso-group-meta-whatsapp-apple/

In this episode, we delve into the escalating cyber threat posed by China with guest Sean McNee, Head of Threat Research at DomainTools. Sean shares insights on how China is closely observing the ongoing cyberwar between Russia and Ukraine to strategize its potential moves concerning Taiwan. In our reporter chat, Greg Otto talks with Derek B. Johnson about the U.S. government’s attempt to rein in data brokers and bulk data collection by “countries of concern.”

LINK: https://cyberscoop.com/justice-department-data-broker-regulation-china-russia-iran/

This episode of Safe Mode explores the critical issue of software supply chain security with Saša Zdjelar, ReversingLabs' chief trust officer. Discover why the hidden components of commercial off-the-shelf software pose significant risks to enterprises and how current security practices fall short. We'll discuss the explosive growth in breaches due to third-party software, the limited utility of Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs), and the need for more comprehensive security assessments. Saša will share insights on how to effectively "open the black box," enabling companies to identify threats and ensure compliance before deploying applications. In our reporter chat, CyberScoop senior reporter Tim Starks talks with Greg Otto about the indictments brought against Anonymous Sudan.

LINK: https://cyberscoop.com/alleged-anonymous-sudan-leaders-charged-prolific-gangs-tool-disabled/

How can small nonprofits and civic organizations defend themselves against some of the most insidious malware on the planet? By reaching out to Elijah Baucom. The director of Citizen Clinic at UC Berkeley, Baucom runs a public-interest cybersecurity program that trains students to support organizations in defending against cyber threats. A digital security expert and educator, Baucom talks with Greg Otto about making cybersecurity resources accessible to all students and vulnerable groups, drawing on his extensive background in management consulting and network engineering. In our reporter chat, Greg talks with Derek Johnson about the work OpenAI is doing to prevent malicious actors from user generative AI in their schemes.

LINK: https://cyberscoop.com/openai-threat-report-foreign-influence-generative-ai/

Since 2022, Mandiant has tracked North Korean IT workers who, posing as non-North Koreans, secure employment in various industries to fund DPRK's weapons programs, often engaging in cyber intrusions with the help of foreign facilitators. In this episode, CyberScoop Editor-in-Chief Greg Otto talks with Mandiant’s Michael Barnhart on what is going on in terms of North Korea’s goals, and how organizations can take precautions to prevent remote worker fraud. Greg also talks to CyberScoop reporter AJ Vicens on the latest LockBit takedown, which was conducted by a host of different countries.

LINK: https://cyberscoop.com/russian-cybercrime-raids-cryptex-uaps/

The General Services Administration has tapped the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ chief information officer and chief data officer to serve as its new deputy CIO, the agency confirmed Thursday. Dovarius Peoples will join GSA on Oct. 6, an agency spokesperson told FedScoop. Peoples also has held leadership positions at the Office of Personnel Management and the National Security Agency.

Also: The Department of Health and Human Services would be required to implement a pandemic preparedness and response program that leverages artificial intelligence under new bipartisan Senate legislation. That bill, which was introduced Wednesday and announced Thursday, would call on the secretary of HHS to establish a new program called “MedShield” that would protect against future pandemics by aiding collaboration between government and the private sector and use AI in several areas, including detecting pathogens and developing vaccines.

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CyberScoop Editor-in-Chief Greg Otto was out at Mandiant's mWISE conference last week, and talked with Trellix’s head of threat intelligence, John Fokker, about a host of different subjects. In the first portion of the interview, Greg and John discuss how the Ransomware-as-a-Service landscape has changed in the past year, and how threat actors have adjusted to the changes the industry has made in order to stop their schemes. In the second half, Greg and John talk about threat actors’ use of AI, which is in its experimentation phrase (like everyone else). In the reporter chat, Greg talks with AJ Vicens about research that shows how the walls are closing in on a suspect responsible for breaches tied to Snowflake.

LINK: https://cyberscoop.com/snowflake-hacker-judische-labscon-2024/

AI is transforming how companies secure their IT infrastructure, especially in industries like airlines, health care, retail, and telecommunications, which rely on applications and APIs for seamless digital experiences. However, there's a risk of companies improperly deploying AI tools or using insecure vendors, potentially leading to widespread data breaches and operational outages. CyberScoop Editor-in-Chief Greg Otto talks with F5 Networks CTO Kunal Anand about the increasing challenges in IT security and complexity as more AI applications are adopted and what companies should focus on to safeguard their systems as policies and regulations evolve. CyberScoop reporter Derek B. Johnson also sits down with Greg to talk about a congressional hearing that heavily focused on cybersecurity issues for election officials ahead of November.

Secure-by-design transforms secure code from an afterthought to an inherent feature, weaving a resilient shield directly into the fabric of every application and device from the ground up. But while everyone’s mind gravitates toward the ocean of software we all use, how does secure-by-design translate to the Internet of Things? In this episode, CyberScoop Editor-in-Chief Greg Otto talks with RunSafe CEO Joe Saunders on how to incentivize manufacturers to create secure IoT devices. CyberScoop reporter Christian Vasquez also sits down with Greg to talk about two projects launched at this year’s DEF CON aimed at using volunteers to respond to localized cyber incidents.

If you want to understand cybersecurity policy, it’s not enough to focus on Washington D.C. — you have to also grok the American tech industry. Few people have bridged that divide more effectively than Ted Schlein, the legendary venture capitalist who is currently at Ballistic Ventures. On this episode of Safe Mode, he sits down with host Elias Groll to discuss Washington D.C., Silicon Valley and the relationship between the two. CyberScoop senior reporter AJ Vicens also joins the show to discuss the latest developments regarding Iran’s efforts to hack Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.