BreakingBadness

@BreakingBadness@infosec.exchange
225 Followers
118 Following
224 Posts
DomainTools podcast where timely and relevant security meets puns and witty banter. Our goal is to keep defenders apprised of pertinent news and trends in under forty-five minutes.

🎧 In this RSA Conference 2025 special episode, we explore two critical frontiers shaping the future of cybersecurity.

First, Jon DiMaggio (Author of The Ransomware Diaries, Analyst1) breaks down the hidden supply chains behind ransomware gangs, including the economics of affiliate betrayal and the challenge of accurate attribution. He walks us through his methodology for identifying ransomware rebrands like BlackCat and RansomHub using evidence-based frameworks designed to eliminate human bias.

Then we’re joined by Matt Radolec (VP of Incident Response at Varonis), who brings a fresh perspective on talent development in cybersecurity. Drawing from his keynote "From Gamer to Leader," Matt argues that gamers possess untapped potential as cybersecurity professionals and it’s time to design leadership pipelines like quest lines.

From ransomware negotiations on underground forums to using AI-enhanced playbooks and transforming threat response teams into RPG-style guilds, this episode blends technical insight with cultural reflection.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-ransomwares-supply-chain-attribution-rebrands/id1456143419?i=1000712483072

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1pNUfaXt1gZyO1sLFVVLuZ

Web: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/podcasts/inside-ransomwares-supply-chain-attribution-rebrands-and-affiliate-betrayal/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Breaking-Badness-RSAC

I had the opportunity to sit down with former DTer, Joe Slowik at #RSAC to talk about suspicious domains.

Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation:

🔹 Joe shared how attackers are playing the long game—like in the SolarWinds attack, where a fake AWS domain sat dormant for nearly a decade.
🔹 From aged domains to hijacked home routers, adversaries are evolving. And groups like Volt Typhoon are targeting U.S. critical infrastructure with chilling precision.
🔹 It’s time to rethink defense—beyond tools, toward resilient architecture and even manual fallbacks.

Listen to the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-badness/id1456143419?i=1000711183082

In this week's episode of the Breaking Badness Cybersecurity Podcast we delve into the critical role of domains in modern cyber attacks. From sophisticated
nation-state operations to AI-powered phishing kits and malicious browser extensions, domains are the foundational infrastructure for threat actors.

Host @NotTheLinux is joined by four leading cybersecurity experts Joe Slowik, Robert Duncan, John Fokker and Vivek Ramachandran to break down how domains are weaponized and what organizations can do to defend themselves on this ever-evolving frontline.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-perimeter-how-attackers-use-domains/id1456143419?i=1000711183082

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0trcyZliGZuEj591IVnZCu

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpcJXpWwfQo

Web: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/podcasts/how-attackers-use-domains-phishing-ai-and-how-to-fight-back/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=RSAC-Domains

In 2024, our team found that the web-based version of HeartSender was leaking a significant amount of sensitive data to anyone who accessed it; no login required.

This included customer login details and internal emails from HeartSender staff. Malware infections on the attackers’ own devices revealed extensive account data, along with insights into the group’s structure, operations, and role within the broader cybercrime ecosystem.

Yesterday, Brian Krebs reported that 21 individuals accused of operating Heartsender have been arrested in Pakistan. This milestone was the result of incredible teamwork across borders and organizations, and we're proud to have been part of that global effort.

When we come together, we can give bad actors more bad days.

Find our original analysis and update here: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/blog/the-resurgence-of-the-manipulaters-team-breaking-heartsenders/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Manipulaters

Breaking HeartSenders: The Return of “Manipulaters”

Previously thought to be defunct, the cybercrime group known as the Manipulaters are back to their old tricks (with some new ones too).

DomainTools | Start Here. Know Now.

For defending against phishing campaigns, you've got to have sensible security rules in place and a good overall security practice in your organization. You also need to be running EDR tools (EDR/XDR) and edge protection. These practices will all help, though they are not a silver bullet against the problem.

Be aware as a practitioner if DNS over HTTPS is becoming more present on your network. If you control your own DNS resolver, that's the best way to go.

DNS is really your friend as a security practitioner.

Listen to the full episode of the Breaking Badness Cybersecurity Podcast here: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/podcasts/morphing-meerkat-proton66-how-cybercrime-is-getting-easier/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Proton66

#DNS #cybersecurity #infosec #infosecurity #phishing #phishingprotection #phishingprevention

In this episode of Breaking Badness, @NotTheLinux sits down with @nohackme Global Security Advisor at @Splunk and former CISO for Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign. Mick shares his journey from aspiring Navy nuclear engineer to leading security in some of the highest-stakes environments, including the White House.

They explore how threat intelligence, storytelling, and mentorship shape the future of cybersecurity. From his early days in government to his work on the Splunk SURGe team, Mick opens up about what it takes to build secure systems, stronger teams, and more empathetic leadership in cybersecurity.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-secure-campaigns-and-better-humans/id1456143419?i=1000708453062

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Foec8jCvgblC1gZUq7uB4

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvBPvSbsI_g&ab_channel=DomainTools

Web: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/podcasts/building-secure-campaigns-and-better-humans-a-conversation-with-mick-baccio/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=RSAC-2025

Building Secure Campaigns and Better Humans: A Conversation with Mick Baccio

Podcast Episode · Breaking Badness · 05/14/2025 · 23m

Apple Podcasts

Scammers pay attention to headlines just as much as we do, but their motivations are very different.

From the LA wildfires to AI tech breakthroughs, viral events dominate the news cycle—and cybercriminals are quick to exploit them. DomainTools Investigations’ latest research reveals how malicious domains and scam sites surge in the wake of breaking news, targeting unsuspecting users with fake donations, meme coins, and malware.

🔍 Discover:

How scammers use AI to ride the wave of viral media

Real-world examples of fake crypto coins & donation scams

Patterns linking scam sites across global events

📖 Read the full analysis here: https://dti.domaintools.com/scams-malicious-domains-breaking-news/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Breaking-News

#CyberSecurity #ThreatIntel #ScamAlert #BreakingNews #Infosec #Phishing #Malware #CryptoScams

Scams and Malicious Domains Emerging from Breaking News - DomainTools Investigations | DTI

Explore how scammers exploit breaking news events to launch malicious domains, fake donation sites, and cryptocurrency scams. Learn how AI-driven research uncovers these evolving threats and how to stay protected online

DomainTools Investigations | DTI

✈️ Are you on your way to RSAC?

It's the perfect time to catch up on recent episodes of the Breaking Badness Cybersecurity Podcast (and we'll be recording with some amazing folks this week!)

Catch up on recent episodes like:
🔹Our DFIR Fireside Chats Parts I and II (featuring @danonsecurity, @hacks4pancakes, @DavidJBianco, and Sarah Sabotka!)
🔹How Russian Disinformation Campaigns Exploit Domain Registrars and AI (featuring Daniel Schwalbe and Scot Terban)
🔹From ValleyRAT to Silver Fox: How Graph-Based Threat Intel is Changing the Game (featuring Daniel Schwalbe and Wes Young)

And that's just three examples! There's plenty more wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-badness/id1456143419

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FMbQIxkeBYHMOdpRzsZeM

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpXt1El9Nh2u8Wvu-Tspsow

Web: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/podcasts/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=RSAC-Podcasts

#Cybersecurity #CyberConversations #RSAC

Breaking Badness

Technology Podcast · Updated Biweekly · Where timely and relevant security meets puns and witty banter. Our goal is to keep defenders apprised of pertinent news and trends in under forty-five minutes.

Apple Podcasts

How do you identify a cybersecurity incident?

@hacks4pancakes sees a lot of copy/paste incident responses on the Internet - you really need to understand what matters to your business. Sarah Sabotka argues that this is where CTI comes in to support incident response to see what we can enrich. Per@DavidJBianco, the Identify stage is all about going from raw data up and to engaging your incident response plan.

Catch the full discussion from this past week's episode of the Breaking Badness Cybersecurity Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dfirside-chat-lessons-from-the-frontlines-of/id1456143419?i=1000703745188

#cybersecurity #incidentresponse #dfir

DFIRside Chat: Lessons from the Frontlines of Incident Response

Podcast Episode · Breaking Badness · 04/16/2025 · 43m

Apple Podcasts

Scrolling through Pinterest one day led me down a rabbit hole of suspicious looking domains stemming from sponsored ads on the platform mimicking the L.L.Bean brand.

This analysis walks through DomainTools various domain and DNS solutions to illustrate what was found, connections between domains, and how we ascribe with high confidence attribution to nexus China.

Also, do you like free things? No way, me too! You can find the full analysis here along with a free 15-day product trial: https://www.domaintools.com/resources/blog/domain-and-dns-intelligence-in-fighting-online-threats/

The Role of Domain and DNS Intelligence in Fighting Online Threats - DomainTools | Start Here. Know Now.

As online platforms evolve, cybercriminals are finding new ways to exploit them for scams and phishing attacks. Our latest research highlights how malicious actors use platforms like Pinterest to deceive users and harvest sensitive information.

DomainTools | Start Here. Know Now.