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In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham is joined by George Hughey from Microsoft who returns to discuss his Blue Hat India talk on variant hunting, explaining how MSRC uses submission data from hacking competitions like Pwn2Own and Tianfu Cup to uncover additional security vulnerabilities in Windows. George shares how incentives in competitions differ from bug bounty programs, how tools like CodeQL assist variant hunting, and why collaborating with the security research community is key to improving Windows security.      In This Episode You Will Learn:     How hacking competitions help find real-world Windows vulnerabilities The role of MSRC in hunting variants beyond submitted vulnerabilities Why fuzzing is not always effective for modern edge cases   Some Questions We Ask:    How do you decide which cases to pursue for variant hunting? What advice do you have for researchers submitting variants? How does the CodeQL team collaborate with your team?        Resources:       View George Hughey on LinkedIn      View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn        Related Microsoft Podcasts:       Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Uncovering Hidden Risks         Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Mike Macelletti from Microsoft’s MSRC Vulnerabilities and Mitigations team to explore Redirection Guard, a powerful mitigation designed to tackle a long-standing class of file path redirection vulnerabilities in Windows. Mike shares how his interest in security began, the journey behind developing Redirection Guard, and how it's helping reduce a once-common bug class across Microsoft products. He also explains how the feature works, why it's impactful, and what developers can do to adopt it. Plus, a few fun detours into Solitaire hacking, skiing, and protein powder.      In This Episode You Will Learn:     What Redirection Guard is and how it helps prevent file system vulnerabilities How Microsoft identifies and addresses common bug classes across their ecosystem Why some vulnerabilities still slip past Redirection Guard and what’s out of scope   Some Questions We Ask:    What is a junction and how is it different from other redirects? How does Redirection Guard decide which shortcuts to block? Are there vulnerabilities Redirection Guard doesn’t cover?        Resources:       View Mike Macelletti on LinkedIn      View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn        Related Microsoft Podcasts:       Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Uncovering Hidden Risks         Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone share Ram Shankar Siva Kumar’s dynamic keynote from BlueHat India 2025, where he explores the evolving threat landscape of AI through the lens of the Microsoft AI Red Team. From adversarial machine learning to psychosocial harms and persuasive AI, Ram highlights real-world case studies, including prompt injection, content safety violations, and memory poisoning in AI agents. Ram underscores the urgent need for robust red teaming practices to secure AI systems against traditional security flaws and emerging threats across images, text, audio, and autonomous agents.    In This Episode You Will Learn:     Why old-school security flaws still break modern AI systems Real-world AI red teaming in action, from scams to memory hacks How small input tweaks can fool AI across images, audio, and text   Some Questions We Ask:    Can attackers fool AI using just slight image changes? Are generative AI systems vulnerable to prompt manipulation? Do you need to be an expert to break an AI model?     Resources:       View Ram Shankar Siva Kumar on LinkedIn     View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn   Watch Ram’s BlueHat India 2025 Keynote: BlueHat India 2025 Day 2 Keynote - Ram Shankar Siva Kumar  Listen to Ram’s Previous Appearance on The BlueHat Podcast: Not with a Bug but with a Sticker    Related Microsoft Podcasts:       Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Uncovering Hidden Risks         Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone share David Weston’s keynote from BlueHat India 2025. David explores the growing role of on-device AI in Windows, the security risks it introduces, and how Microsoft is rethinking architecture to defend against new threats like model tampering, data exfiltration, and AI-powered malware. He also shares insights on innovations like Windows Recall, biometric protection, and the future of secure, agentic operating systems.    In This Episode You Will Learn:     How AI integration in Windows (like Windows Recall and MS Paint) is evolving Emerging threats from protocols like MCP and CUAs What a “confused deputy” attack is, and how Microsoft is protecting users   Some Questions We Ask:    What are the biggest security threats in on-device AI—data, model, or runtime? Can AI be used to accelerate post-compromise attacks? What will it take to bring Azure-level confidential computing to the consumer device?       Resources:       View David Weston on LinkedIn    View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn        Related Microsoft Podcasts:       Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Uncovering Hidden Risks         Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Felix Boulet fresh off his participation in Zero Day Quest. Felix talks about his unique journey from industrial maintenance to becoming a full-time vulnerability researcher, and how that background fuels his passion for hacking and bug bounty work. He explains his method for finding bugs in Microsoft products—particularly in identity systems—and why identity is such a valuable target for attackers. Felix also shares highlights from the Zero Day Quest event, where he focused on building connections, learning from Microsoft engineers, and experiencing the collaborative side of the security community.      In This Episode You Will Learn:   Why identity-based bugs are especially valuable and dangerous in the security worldWhen breaking identity controls can be the key to pivoting through an entire systemHow SharePoint's concept of "virtual files" impacts vulnerability validation  Some Questions We Ask:   What was your first bug bounty experience?Can you explain what the flash challenges were and what your experience was like?Do you think sharing bug ideas could cost you a bounty?       Resources: View Felix Boulet on LinkedIn View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn      Related Microsoft Podcasts:    Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson Uncovering Hidden Risks       Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Marco Ivaldi, co-founder and technical director of HN Security, a boutique company specializing in offensive security services, shares his journey from hacking as a teenager in the '80s to becoming a key figure in the security research community. With nearly three decades of experience in cybersecurity, Marco digs into the ongoing challenges, particularly in Active Directory and password security, highlighting vulnerabilities that continue to pose significant risks today. He recounts his unexpected path into bug bounty hunting, including his involvement in Microsoft's Zero Day Quest and his passion for auditing real-time operating systems like Azure RTOS.       In This Episode You Will Learn:     How Marco taught himself BASIC and assembly through cassette tapes and trips to local libraries Why mentorship and positive leadership can catapult your cybersecurity career When measuring network response times can unintentionally leak valuable info   Some Questions We Ask:    Do you remember the first time you made code do something unexpected? What was your experience like in the Zero Day Quest building for those three days? How are you thinking of approaching fuzzing after Zero Day Quest?        Resources:       View Marco Ivaldi on LinkedIn      View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn     HN SECURITY  Learn More About Marco     Related Microsoft Podcasts:       Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Uncovering Hidden Risks         Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts      The BlueHat Podcast is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Dhiral Patel, Senior Security Engineer at ZoomInfo and one of MSRC’s Most Valuable Researchers (MVR). Dhiral shares how a hacked Facebook account sparked his passion for ethical hacking. From web development to penetration testing, Dhiral has become a top bug hunter, landing multiple spots on the MSRC leaderboards. Dhiral reflects on his early MSRC submissions and lessons learned. He also discusses the importance of mastering web security basics, practicing on platforms like TryHackMe and Hack the Box, and staying connected with the bug bounty community.       In This Episode You Will Learn:     The importance of mastering web security basics before diving into bug bounty hunting Why hands-on platforms like TryHackMe and Hack the Box are perfect for beginners Dhiral’s journey from blogging to freelancing and security research   Some Questions We Ask:    How do you balance competition and collaboration in the bug bounty community? Can you explain what clickjacking is and if it still works today? Why did you start with Power BI, and how did it lead to your journey in security?        Resources:       View Dhiral Patel on LinkedIn     View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn    View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn      Related Microsoft Podcasts:       Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Uncovering Hidden Risks         Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by security researcher Tobias Diehl, a top contributor to the Microsoft Security Research Center (MSRC) leaderboards and a Most Valuable Researcher. Tobias shares his journey from IT support to uncovering vulnerabilities in Microsoft products. He discusses his participation in the upcoming Zero Day Quest hacking challenge and breaks down a recent discovery involving Power Automate, where he identified a security flaw that could be exploited via malicious URLs. Tobias explains how developers can mitigate such risks and the importance of strong proof-of-concept submissions in security research.  In This Episode You Will Learn:  Researching vulnerabilities in Power Automate, Power Automate Desktop, and AzureThe importance of user prompts to prevent unintended application behaviorKey vulnerabilities Tobias looks for when researching Microsoft products Some Questions We Ask: Have you submitted any AI-related findings to Microsoft or other bug bounty programs?How does the lack of visibility into AI models impact the research process?Has your approach to security research changed when working with AI versus traditional systems?   Resources:      View Tobias Diehl on LinkedIn   View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn   View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn  Related Microsoft Podcasts:     Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson  Uncovering Hidden Risks   Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The success of crypto inspired dozens of other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Tether, and Dogecoin. Today, people worldwide use cryptocurrencies to buy things, sell things, and make investments. One thing is certain; digital currencies are here to stay, no matter how many times you have to explain what a bitcoin is. Unfortunately, it also created the world of cryptojacking, a form of cybercrime that remains completely hidden from the target and can infect millions of computers with cryptojacking malware. Which brings us to the fundamental question: What can organizations do to protect themselves?   In this episode of Security Unlocked, hosts Natalia Godyla and Nic Fillingham are joined by Microsoft senior software engineer Amitrajit Banerjee and senior staff architect at Intel Rahul Ghosh to discuss the history and prevalence of cryptojacking. The push behind a cryptojacking attack is almost always motivated by money. Mining cryptocurrencies can be very lucrative, but making a profit is challenging unless you cover high costs. They discuss the importance of understanding the actual concept of mining, how victims' CPU power and computing resources can be used, and why it isn't easy in general to detect crypto miners.     In This Episode You Will Learn:     How prevalent is cryptojacking and who should be worried When and how people are exposed to these new types of threats Why you should be familiar with cryptojacking   Some Questions We Ask:     How are victims' CPU power and computing resources used to mine cryptocurrencies? What created this environment where cryptojacking is possible? What are some general techniques when trying to identify cryptojacking?    Resources:    The increasing threat of cryptocurrency miners  Defending against cryptojacking  Guidance for preventing, detecting, and hunting for exploitation    View Amitrajit Banerjee on LinkedIn  View Rahul Ghosh on LinkedIn  View Nic on LinkedIn   View Natalia on LinkedIn      Related:    Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault      Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson     Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ransomware attacks have never been so successful. The returns from these attacks are soaring and only becoming easier to conduct. In chapter two of the Microsoft Digital Defense Report, the growing threat of cybercrime is covered in great detail. As we continue to go over the MDDR, it's more apparent than ever that the cybercrime economy and services it provides are stronger and more complex than ever. Cryptocurrency, malware, and adversarial machine learning are just a few of the topics we believe need to be covered in more detail.   In this episode of Security Unlocked, host’s Natalia Godyla and Nic Fillingham are joined by Jason Lyons, principal investigator in the digital crimes unit at Microsoft. Jason is an experienced investigator specializing in computer investigations. He is trained and experienced in hacker methodology/techniques, computer forensics, and incident response. Jason joined the show to discuss Chapter two of the Microsoft Digital Defense Report, which focuses on the state of cybercrime. He also speaks on how cryptocurrency has created new challenges in ransomware, why ransomware continues to grow, and recent trends we are currently seeing in malware.      In This Episode You Will Learn:      How to decide whether to pay the ransomware or not New ways for security teams to protect against malware Why we are seeing a rise in cybercrime due to cryptocurrency.    Some Questions We Ask:     What's new in the way the cybercrime economy operates?  Why is ransomware still such a big thing and maybe even getting bigger? What trends are we seeing with malware right now?    Resources:    Microsoft Digital Defense Report   View Jason Lyons on LinkedIn   View Nic on LinkedIn   View Natalia on LinkedIn      Related:    Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault      Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson     Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everything is exciting and new when you're a kid, and curiosity inspires many of us to branch out and try new things. For some, that means drawing from our imagination or trying all kinds of sports. And for others it means spending days at the library, checking out books on modem communications, and eventually hacking into the local dial-up community service. That's just a random example, of course... Either way, curiosity can be a powerful tool, even at a young age. To the point that it may help kickstart a career, you didn't even know existed.   In this episode of Security Unlocked, host Natalia Godyla is joined by S&P Global Ratings BISO Alyssa Miller. Alyssa is a life-long hacker and highly experienced security executive. She runs the security strategy for S&P Global Ratings as the Business Information Security Officer (BISO), bringing together corporate security objectives and business objectives. Natalia and Alyssa discuss her journey in security from a young and curious hacker to a BISO of the largest credit-rating agency, and how she is shaping what the role of the BISO will be for future generations.      In This Episode You Will Learn:     What are the roles and responsibilities of a BISO  How a BISO should interact with the rest of the organization How to put yourself on track to become a BISO     Some Questions We Ask:     What are the gaps that the BISO function is trying to address? What other roles should exist in security, but don’t?  How will the BISO role evolve over time?    Resources:    View Alyssa Miller on LinkedIn  View Nic on LinkedIn   View Natalia on LinkedIn      Related:    Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault      Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson     Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disinformation refers to the calculated use of false information to influence others and has been a steadily growing form of information warfare. Unfortunately, disinformation is everywhere these days, often hidden in plain sight. Criminals will also adapt and take advantage of technologies, such as AI and deepfakes, to increase the effectiveness of disinformation campaigns. Of course, there are ways to combat these types of attacks, and we cover recommendations for protecting the enterprise in the 2021 Microsoft Digital Defense Report (MDDR).   In this episode of Security Unlocked, hosts Natalia Godyla and Nic Fillingham are joined by the Director of Enterprise Continuity and Resilience at Microsoft, Irfan Mirza, who authored the chapter on disinformation in the enterprise in the 2021 MDDR. Irfan joins to discuss what disinformation is, why the use of disinformation is growing, how cognitive hacking occurs, and how cybersecurity can start thinking about adapting their strategies.  In This Episode You Will Learn:     How to identify disinformation campaigns  How to train users and protect your organization from disinformation   Why we need AI to defend against disinformation   Some Questions We Ask:     What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation? How does disinformation impact cybersecurity? What new skills do cybersecurity professionals need to be able to protect the enterprise from this new threat?   Resources:    Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2021  View Irfan Mirza on LinkedIn   View Nic on LinkedIn   View Natalia on LinkedIn      Related:      Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault      Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson     Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Microsoft works around the clock to protect their customers, no matter what product they’re using, Microsoft or otherwise. In some instances Microsoft teams up with other companies, creating an all-star cybersecurity team, to handle newly discovered vulnerabilities. It helps everyone stay more secure, and of course, that's the ultimate goal, right?     In this episode of Security Unlocked, hosts Natalia Godyla and Nic Fillingham are re-joined by Jonathan Bar Or, Principal Security Researcher at Microsoft. Jonathan discusses the recently discovered vulnerability that could let attackers bypass System Integrity Protection (SIP) in macOS, why he believes in investing in cross-platform protection, and the importance of collaboration between security researchers, software vendors, and the larger security community.     In This Episode You Will Learn:  What is System Integrity Protection (SIP) How attackers can bypass SIP How attackers can use the Shrootless vulnerability   Some Questions We Ask:  How did you find the Shrootless vulnerability? How do you decide what products to assess? How does the process of submitting a vulnerability to Apple work?    Resources:    Microsoft finds new macOS vulnerability - Shrootless  View Jonathan Bar Or on LinkedIn  View Nic on LinkedIn   View Natalia on LinkedIn     Related:    Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault      Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson     Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In December 2020, Microsoft began sharing information with the cybersecurity industry on a group of Russia-based hackers who gained access to multiple enterprises through vulnerable software code, stolen passwords, compromised on-premises servers, and minted SAML tokens. In this supply chain attack, hackers could access the SolarWinds code, slip malicious code into a piece of the software, and use the vendor’s legitimate software updates to spread malware to customer systems.    Security Unlocked is excited to share with you, Decoding NOBELIUM. The docuseries gives you an inside look into the NOBELIUM incident, now viewed as one of the most advanced nation-state and supply chain attacks in history, with stories from the frontline defenders who tracked and responded to the attackers.  Resources:  Decoding NOBELIUM: Video Series Defending Against Nation-State Attacks | Microsoft Security View Natalia on LinkedIn  View Nic on LinkedIn  Related:     Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault    Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back, covering more of the 2021 Microsoft Digital Defense Report, and this time we’re taking a deep dive into chapter five on Hybrid Workforce Security and Zero Trust. Zero Trust means precisely what it sounds like, never assuming any device or identity is secure; it's like having major trust issues, but in a professional way. With most businesses moving to remote work because of the pandemic, cybercriminals, of course, found new ways to take advantage, especially since most people are now moving between business and personal activity online. For the first time, we’re going to cover a full 12-month recap of what securing the hybrid workforce has been like.  In this episode of Security Unlocked, hosts Natalia Godyla and Nic Fillingham are joined by Carmichael Patton, Lead Architect for Microsoft's Internal Zero Trust Deployment. Carmichael joins the show to discuss security challenges and trends impacting the hybrid workforce, the three most significant insider risk vulnerabilities, and why some customers are still not using MFA.  In This Episode You Will Learn:     Security challenges and trends impacting the hybrid workforce How Microsoft approached their Zero Trust journey  Prioritizing security initiatives during a time of massive change   Some Questions We Ask:     What were some of the major hybrid workforce attacks?  Why are some customers still not using MFA? When and how should you deal with insider risk?  Resources:    Zero Trust Adoption Report  The 2021 Microsoft Digital Defense Report   View Carmichael Patton on LinkedIn   View Nic on LinkedIn   View Natalia on LinkedIn   Related:  Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault    Listen to: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson   Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Security Unlocked is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.