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 world
• When breaking identity controls can be the key to pivoting through an entire system
• How 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 Azure
• The importance of user prompts to prevent unintended application behavior
• Key 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.