The Cyber Insider

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In this episode we’re excited to host Dmitry Smilyanets, the Director of Product Management at threat intel company Recorded Future. Prior to that Dmitry was a Russia-based hacker who was indicted and extradited to the United States for his role in a cybercrime scheme – he was the manager of the largest hacking group ever prosecuted in the United States. Having been both a black hat and a white hat, he has fascinating perspectives which we uncover during this month’s release of the Cyber Insider.

When asked about his unique background, Dmitry had this to say: "I think that my background gives me a unique perspective on the world of cybercrime. I understand the motivations and tactics of hackers in a way that many cybersecurity experts do not. At the same time, I have seen the consequences of these actions firsthand and know how important it is to protect against them."
One of the most surprising things about the world of cybercrime is how organized and business-like it can be. Dmitry described some of the groups he encountered as having entire offices, complete with marketing teams, HR departments, and money laundering operations. This level of organization makes it all the more difficult to track and prosecute cybercriminals.

When it comes to cybercrime, the role of governments can be complex and varied. Some governments actively encourage hacking groups, while others turn a blind eye. Dmitry noted that in Russia, the government is unlikely to actively protect cybercriminals, but will prosecute them if they commit crimes within the country: "Russia will not prosecute you if you hit America, but if you accidentally use Russian infrastructure or stole some credit cards from Russians or even used stolen credit cards in Russia, they'll have enough to prosecute you, put you for two, three years in pretrial detention."

All this and much more is discussed in this episode of The Cyber Insider podcast by Emsisoft, the award-winning cybersecurity company delivering top-notch security solutions for over 20 years.

Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Cyber Insider to get your monthly inside scoop on cybersecurity.
Hosts:
Luke Connolly – partner manager at Emsisoft
Brett Callow – threat analyst at Emsisoft
Intro/outro music: “Intro funk” by Lowtone.

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This month we welcome David Shipley on the Cyber Insider podcast’s latest episode. David is a recognized global expert in cybersecurity, regularly speaking at public and private events around the world and frequently appears in national and regional media to address cybersecurity stories and topics. David co-founded Beauceron Security in 2016 with an innovative approach to cybersecurity awareness and risk management which empowers everyone within an organization to know more, and care more, about their key role in protecting against cyber-attacks. Beauceron Security now serves more than 700 clients across North America, Europe, and Africa with 650,000+ end-users. He continues to lead the company as CEO. Prior to co-founding Beauceron Security, David was the security lead for the University of New Brunswick and developed its incident response, threat intelligence and awareness practice. He is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Information and Communications Studies, as well as a Master of Business Administration, from the University of New Brunswick. In 2023, David was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Platinum Medal by the province of New Brunswick for his service in the Canadian Forces, work in cybersecurity, and for co-founding Beauceron Security. David is a former journalist and a Canadian Forces veteran.
Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Cyber Insider to get your monthly inside scoop on cybersecurity.
Hosts:
Luke Connolly – partner manager at Emsisoft
Brett Callow – threat analyst at Emsisoft
Intro/outro music: “Intro funk” by Lowtone.

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This month we welcome Ian L. Paterson on the Cyber Insider podcast. Ian is an entrepreneur with 10+ years of experience in leading and commercializing technology companies. Paterson has raised millions of dollars in private and public financing, completed international M&A transactions, and is co-inventor of 3 patents on digital identity and data analytics. As CEO of Plurilock, Paterson successfully built and grew Plurilock, leading to its successful public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange Venture.
Previously Paterson served as founder and CEO of data monetization platform Exapik (acquired), and as Director of Insights for Terapeak (acquired), a venture-backed analytics firm. Paterson is a regular speaker, media commentator, and active angel investor.
Hosts Brett Callow and Luke Connolly discuss the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity with our expert guest. Ian explains that while AI has its strengths in processing large amounts of data and making determinations based on patterns, it also has its limitations in areas such as content sensitivity, context sensitivity, creativity, and innovation. However, he notes that AI is evolving rapidly and becoming more capable in areas like creativity, as seen with tools like ChatGPT and OpenAI's image creation tools. Ian emphasizes that AI is a valuable tool for processing large amounts of data in cybersecurity, particularly in areas like threat detection and response.

Regarding the ethical implications of AI in cybersecurity, our guest discusses the importance of data ownership and rights. He highlights the need for organizations to be cautious about the data they feed into AI systems and ensure they are not accidentally leaking or granting permission to sensitive information. He also mentions the use of data loss prevention tools to mitigate these risks.

"AI is an equal opportunity tool. It's not just going to be used by the good guys, it's going to be used by the bad guys as well."

In terms of future trends, Ian predicts that there will be multiple AI systems in use, both public and private, within organizations. He believes that each team, individual, and domain will have their own AI system, and organizations will have more control over the models and data used. He also anticipates the emergence of new applications and use cases for AI in cybersecurity that we may not have thought of yet.
All this and much more is discussed in this episode of The Cyber Insider podcast by Emsisoft, the award-winning cybersecurity company delivering top-notch security solutions for over 20 years.

Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Cyber Insider to get your monthly inside scoop on cybersecurity.
Hosts:
Luke Connolly – partner manager at Emsisoft
Brett Callow – threat analyst at Emsisoft

Send us a text

This month’s guest of the Cyber Insider is Azim Khodjibayev. With over a decade of experience in intelligence analysis, Azim has focused on Russian APT and cybercrime activity, particularly in the realm of ransomware. He shares his insights on the current state of cyber threats, the impact of recent breaches, and the future of cybersecurity.

One notable trend observed in 2023 was the splintering of cybercriminal groups. Azim highlights how these groups can quickly switch affiliations and work with multiple organizations simultaneously. This flexibility allows them to evade detection and maximize their impact. Azim suggests that this splintering may be a response to increased law enforcement activities and the need to adapt to changing circumstances.

Law enforcement efforts have seen some success in recent years, with notable takedowns of cybercriminal groups like ALPHV/BlackCat and Hive. However, the impact of these actions on cybercriminal operations is a subject of debate. Azim acknowledges that short-term disruptions can occur, as cybercriminals assess the risks and adjust their strategies. However, he emphasizes that the allure of quick financial gains and the addictive nature of cybercrime make it unlikely for these individuals to abandon their activities permanently.

Azim states, "As long as they have access to computers, as long as they have access to their communication channels, they're going to come back, and they'll do it a little bit better, a little bit more sophisticated."
As cyber threats continue to evolve, it is essential to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and their organizations. Azim emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity education, particularly for the younger generation who are increasingly reliant on technology. Azim explains, "It would be really nice to see middle school classes, for example, about online safety... treating it as bad as we treat all the other safety stuff."
As we enter 2024, the cybersecurity landscape remains challenging. While progress has been made in disrupting cybercriminal operations, the battle is far from over. Azim believes that the rate of learning and collaboration among cybersecurity professionals is a positive sign. However, he cautions that the worst is yet to come, as cybercriminals become more sophisticated and globalized.

All this and much more is discussed in this episode of The Cyber Insider podcast by Emsisoft, the award-winning cybersecurity company delivering top-notch security solutions for over 20 years.

Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Cyber Insider to get your monthly inside scoop on cybersecurity.
Hosts:
Luke Connolly – partner manager at Emsisoft
Brett Callow – threat analyst at Emsisoft
Intro/outro music: “Intro funk” by Lowtone.

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Our guest in this month’s episode of the Cyber Insider is Meredith Griffanti, the Global Head of Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Communications at FTI Consulting. Ms. Griffanti has worked on some of the most high-profile and highly sensitive data breaches around the world and has successfully navigated responses to incidents such as business email compromise, phishing and spear phishing, DDoS, credential stuffing, nation-state, critical infrastructure and major, double-extortion ransomware attacks.

Ms. Griffanti shares her experience in navigating crisis communications, refining incident response plans and the lessons learned from some of the most high-profile breach incidents known. Our guest advises companies to think about what their worst enemy could do to them and to practice their plans more than once a year:
"So when we were thinking about responding to hundreds of media inquiries, there was no ultimate decision maker on things and eventually we got there. But those types of roles, responsibilities, escalation protocols and processes, those are the things you want to have down in your playbooks now, before an incident happens".
The conversation touches on the most common communications mistakes that companies make when facing a breach:
"We see companies prolong the news cycle by saying it was an outage and then moving to security incident, then moving to cyber attack, then ultimately ripping the band aid off and saying it was ransomware".

All this and much more is discussed in this episode of The Cyber Insider podcast by Emsisoft, the award-winning cybersecurity company delivering top-notch security solutions for over 20 years.

Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Cyber Insider to get your monthly inside scoop on cybersecurity.

Hosts:

Luke Connolly – partner manager at Emsisoft

Brett Callow – threat analyst at Emsisoft

Intro/outro music: “Intro funk” by Lowtone.