A tale of two botnets. [Research Saturday]

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Ground Labs' Head of Engineering, Swati Shekhar, shares her circuitous route from and back to engineering. Always being interested in leveraging the tools available to solve problems, Swati talks about how she found her place in engineering. She mentions how she had her first real experience with a computer when she was 17 in her first year at college. Aside from being one of 30 young women in a sea of 500 young men there, Swati described it as a "good culture shock because anything that takes you out of your comfort zone actually makes you learn and grow." She notes that challenges experienced in life increase your risk appetite so significantly. Swati advises those looking to make a job change to be certain of what is attracting them and to be yourself. We thank Swati for sharing her story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this encore of Research Saturday. This week we are joined by ⁠⁠Silas Cutler⁠⁠, Principal Security Researcher at ⁠⁠Censys⁠⁠, asking the important question of "Will the Real Volt Typhoon Please Stand Up?" The FBI's disruption of the KV Botnet in December 2023, attributed to the Chinese threat group Volt Typhoon, targeted infected systems but did not affect the botnet's control infrastructure. Despite law enforcement efforts and technical exposure, the botnet's infrastructure has remained largely stable, with only changes in hosting providers, raising questions about whether another party operates the botnet. Censys scanning data from 2024 shows a shift in the botnet's control servers, indicating a response to disruption attempts, while the botnet's operators have shown limited efforts to obscure their infrastructure. The research can be found here: ⁠⁠Will the Real Volt Typhoon Please Stand Up? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this encore from our T-Minus Space Daily segment Deep Space. Parker Wishik⁠ from ⁠The Aerospace Corporation⁠ explores how experts are turning data into decisions in the space industry on the latest Nexus segment. Parker is joined by⁠ Jackie Barbieri⁠, Founder and CEO of ⁠Whitespace⁠, and Dr. Steve Lewis, Leader of The Aerospace Corporations’s ⁠SPEAR team⁠. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠. Selected Reading ⁠Aerospace Advances Massless Payloads for Space Missions⁠  ⁠Aerospace Experts Are Turning Data into Decisions⁠ ⁠Aerospace recently assembled a team of highly skilled scientists and engineers who play a critical role in addressing national and global disruptions in GPS and other radio frequency spectrums.⁠ Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠media kit⁠. Contact us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠[email protected]⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the N2K CyberWire team is observing Independence Day in the US, we thought you'd enjoy this episode of Threat Vector from our podcast network. Listen in and bust those cyber myths. In this episode of Threat Vector, David Moulton talks with Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance. Lisa shares insights from this year’s “Oh Behave!” report and dives into why cybersecurity habits remain unchanged—even when we know better. From password reuse to misunderstood AI risks, Lisa explains how emotion, storytelling, and system design all play a role in protecting users. Learn why secure-by-design is the future, how storytelling can reshape behavior, and why facts alone won’t change minds. This episode is a must-listen for CISOs, security leaders, and anyone working to reduce human risk at scale. Resources: Kubikle: A comedy webseries about cybercriminals. Oh Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report 2024 Join the conversation on our social media channels: Website:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠ Threat Research:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LifeatPaloAltoNetworks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/unit42/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@paloaltonetworks⁠⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/PaloAltoNtwks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Threat Vector Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks is your premier podcast for security thought leadership. Join us as we explore pressing cybersecurity threats, robust protection strategies, and the latest industry trends. The podcast features in-depth discussions with industry leaders, Palo Alto Networks experts, and customers, providing crucial insights for security decision-makers. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of the curve with innovative solutions or understand the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Threat Vector equips you with the knowledge needed to safeguard your organization. Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks enables your team to prevent successful cyberattacks with an automated approach that delivers consistent security across the cloud, network, and mobile.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://paloaltonetworks.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sudo patch your Linux systems. Cisco has removed a critical backdoor account that gave remote attackers root privileges. The Hunters International ransomware group rebrands and closes up shop. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) notifies 103,000 people that their personal data was compromised. NimDoor is a sophisticated North Korean cyber campaign targeting macOS. Researchers uncover a massive phishing campaign using thousands of fake retail websites. The FBI’s top cyber official says Salt Typhoon is largely contained. Microsoft tells customers to ignore Windows Firewall error warnings. A California jury orders Google to pay $314 million for collecting Android user data without consent. Ben Yelin shares insights from this year’s Supreme Court session. Ransomware negotiations with a side of side hustle. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today our guest is Ben Yelin from UMD CHHS, who is sharing a wrap up of this year’s Supreme Court session. If you want to hear more from Ben, head on over to the Caveat podcast, where he is co-host with Dave as they discuss all things law and privacy.  Selected Reading Linux Users Urged to Patch Critical Sudo CVE (Infosecurity Magazine) Cisco warns that Unified CM has hardcoded root SSH credentials (Bleeping Computer) Hunters International ransomware shuts down after World Leaks rebrand (Bleeping Computer) Feds Notify 103,000 Medicare Beneficiaries of Scam, Breach (Data Breach Today) N Korean Hackers Drop NimDoor macOS Malware Via Fake Zoom Updates (Hackread) China-linked hackers spoof big-name brand websites to steal shoppers' payment info (The Record) Top FBI cyber official: Salt Typhoon ‘largely contained’ in telecom networks (CyberScoop) Microsoft asks users to ignore Windows Firewall config errors (Bleeping Computer) California jury orders Google to pay $314 million over data transfers from Android phones (The Record) US Probes Whether Negotiator Took Slice of Hacker Payments (Bloomberg) Audience Survey Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

French authorities report multiple entities targeted by access brokers. A ransomware group extorts a German hunger charity. AT&T combats SIM swapping and account takeover attacks. A Missouri physician group suffers a cyber attack. Qantas doesn’t crash, but their computers do. Researchers uncover multiple critical vulnerabilities in Agorum Core Open. A student loan administrator in Virginia gets hit by the Akira ransomware group. The Feds sanction a Russian bulletproof hosting service. Johnson Controls notifies individuals of a major ransomware attack dating back to 2023. Will Markow, CEO of FourOne Insights and N2K CyberWire Senior Workforce Analyst shares the latest technology workforce trends. The ICEBlock app warms up to users. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Our guest is Will Markow, CEO of FourOne Insights and N2K CyberWire Senior Workforce Analyst, sharing the latest workforce technology trends. Will recently appeared on our CISO Perspectives podcast with host Kim Jones in the “What’s the “correct” path for entering cyber?” episode. If you are not already an N2K Pro member, you can learn more about that here.  Got cybersecurity, IT, or project management certification goals? For the past 25 years, N2K's practice tests have helped more than half a million professionals reach certification success. Grow your career and reach your goals faster with N2K’s full exam prep of practice tests, labs, and training courses for Microsoft, CompTIA, PMI, Amazon, and more at n2k.com/certify. Selected Reading French cybersecurity agency confirms government affected by Ivanti hacks (The Record) Ransomware gang attacks German charity that feeds starving children (The Record) AT&T deploys new account lock feature to counter SIM swapping (CyberScoop) Cyberattack in Missouri healthcare provider Esse Health exposes data of over 263,000 patients (Beyond Machines) Australia's Qantas says 6 million customer accounts accessed in cyber hack (Reuters) Security Advisories on Agorum Core Open (usd) Virginia student loan administrator Southwood Financial hit by ransomware attack (Beyond Machines) Russian bulletproof hosting service Aeza Group sanctioned by US for ransomware work (The Record) Johnson Controls starts notifying people affected by 2023 breach (Bleeping Computers) ICEBlock, an app for anonymously reporting ICE sightings, goes viral overnight after Bondi criticism (TechCrunch) Audience Survey Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Feds shut down a covert North Korean IT operation. Google releases an emergency update to fix a new Chrome zero-day. A major U.S. trade show and event marketing firm suffers a data breach. NetScaler patches a pair of critical vulnerabilities. A sophisticated cyber attack targets The Hague. An Iran-linked hacking group threatens to release emails allegedly stolen from aides to President Trump. A ransomware attack exposes sensitive data linked to multiple Swiss federal government offices. The U.S. Treasury Department faces scrutiny after a string of cyberattacks. The FBI’s phone security tips draw fire from Senator Wyden. Tim Starks from CyberScoop describes how ubiquitous surveillance turned deadly. AI proves its pentesting prowess. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest We are joined today by Tim Starks, Senior Reporter from CyberScoop, discussing his story "Hacker helped kill FBI sources, witnesses in El Chapo case, according to watchdog report." Selected Reading US government takes down major North Korean 'remote IT workers' operation (TechCrunch) Google fixes fourth actively exploited Chrome zero-day of 2025 (Bleeping Computer) NetScaler Critical Security Updates for CVE-2025-6543 and CVE-2025-5777 (NetScaler) International Criminal Court hit with cyber security attack (AP News) Iran-linked hackers threaten to release Trump aides' emails (Reuters) Swiss government data compromised in ransomware attack on health foundation Radix (Beyond Machines) Trade show management firm Nth Degree hit by data breach, exposing sensitive data (Beyond Machines) A Trio of US Treasury Hacks Exposes a Pattern Making Banks Nervous (Bloomberg) Senator Chides FBI for Weak Advice on Mobile Security (Krebs on Security) The top red teamer in the US is an AI bot (CSO Online) Audience Survey Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CISA warns organizations of potential cyber threats from Iranian state-sponsored actors.Scattered Spider targets aviation and transportation. Workforce cuts at the State Department raise concerns about weakened cyber diplomacy. Canada bans Chinese security camera vendor Hikvision over national security concerns.Cisco Talos reports a rise in cybercriminals abusing Large Language Models. MacOS malware Poseidon Stealer rebrands.Researchers discover multiple vulnerabilities in Bluetooth chips used in headphones and earbuds. The FDA issues new guidance on medical device cybersecurity. Our guest is  Debbie Gordon, Co-Founder of Cloud Range, looking “Beyond the Stack - Why Cyber Readiness Starts with People.” An IT worker’s revenge plan backfires. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest On today’s Industry Voices segment, Debbie Gordon, Co-Founder of Cloud Range, shares insights on looking “Beyond the Stack - Why Cyber Readiness Starts with People.” Learn more about what Debbie discusses in Cloud Range’s blog: Bolstering Your Human Security Posture. You can hear Debbie's full conversation here. Selected Reading CISA and Partners Urge Critical Infrastructure to Stay Vigilant in the Current Geopolitical Environment (CISA) Joint Statement from CISA, FBI, DC3 and NSA on Potential Targeted Cyber Activity Against U.S. Critical Infrastructure by Iran (CISA, FBI, DOD Cyber Crime Center, NSA)  Prolific cybercriminal group now targeting aviation, transportation companies (Axios) U.S. Cyber Diplomacy at Risk Amid State Department Shakeup (GovInfo Security) Canada Bans Chinese CCTV Vendor Hikvision Over National Security Concerns (Infosecurity Magazine) Malicious AI Models Are Behind a New Wave of Cybercrime, Cisco Talos (Hackread) MacOS malware Poseidon Stealer rebranded as Odyssey Stealer (SC Media) Airoha Chip Vulnerabilities Expose Headphones to Takeover (SecurityWeek) FDA Expands Premarket Medical Device Cyber Guidance (GovInfo Security) 'Disgruntled' British IT worker jailed for hacking employer after being suspended (The Record) Audience Survey Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Senior Vice President for Strategy, Partnerships, and Corporate Development at IronNet Cybersecurity, Jamil Jaffer, shares how his interest in technology brought him full circle. Always a tech guy, Jamil paid he way through college doing computer support. Jamil went to law school and worked in various jobs in Washington DC including a stint in the newly-created National Security division of the Justice Department just after 9/11. When talking about adversity, Jamil notes, "Adversity has happened in life, but you gotta run at those things. To me, you know, I like risk. I think risk is something that a lot of people shy away from." We thank Jamil for sharing his story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by Kyle Lefton, Security Researcher from Akamai, who is diving into their work on "Two Botnets, One Flaw - Mirai Spreads Through Wazuh Vulnerability." Akamai researchers have observed active exploitation of CVE-2025-24016, a critical RCE vulnerability in Wazuh, by two Mirai-based botnets. The campaigns highlight how quickly attackers are adapting proof-of-concept exploits to spread malware, underscoring the urgency of patching vulnerable systems. One botnet appears to target Italian-speaking users, suggesting regionally tailored operations. The research can be found here: ⁠Two Botnets, One Flaw: Mirai Spreads Through Wazuh Vulnerability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices