Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Welcome to a new format for the Cybersecurity Sessions! We’ve refocused our podcasts to provide insights into the latest news and trends in cybersecurity, calling on the expertise of Netacea’s threat researchers, bot specialists and business leaders. This month, new host Dani Middleton-Wren is joined by Matthew Gracey-McMinn, Chris Pace and Tom Platt. First they discuss the ever-intriguing topic of ethics in AI, with facial recognition tech from Clearview AI and PimEyes coming under legal and moral scrutiny, followed by the practicalities of fighting back against automated ticket scalping.

Our reliance on personal mobile devices leaves us vulnerable to attack; not just from anonymous criminal groups, but in some cases, from those closest to us. Stalkerware, a category of apps designed to secretly monitor the unsuspecting victim whose device they’re installed on, are a growing concern for security and privacy advocates, as well as law enforcement agencies.

Not a week goes by without a massive data leak being reported in the news – both in tech publications and across mainstream media. According to Atlas VPN, 5.9 billion credentials were leaked in 2021 alone. But it’s not just credentials under attack; personal data, payment information, sensitive corporate data, and even source code are all at risk of being leaked. But how is so much data leaked so often? What do criminals do with this data once they have it? How much risk does this pose to the public, and what can be done about it?

If a stranger walked into your workplace and asked you your name and email address, would you co-operate? What if they asked you to open a door for them, or to use your laptop or phone, all whilst wearing a shirt that said “CHALLENGE ME” on it?

In 2021, we published our first “Cost of Bots” report. 2021 was a time of flux, of lockdowns, furloughs, and home working. A lot of predictions were made as to how this would change cybersecurity. A year on from our cost of bots report, we wanted to know what has changed. Has remote working led to a new wave of bot attacks? Is there a better understanding of how these attacks work? Are businesses fighting back, or losing the war?

In a recent Netacea report, 60% of businesses reported a minor financial impact caused by bots skewing their analytics, and with the busiest eCommerce period of the year fast approaching, businesses need to fight back. How do bots affect businesses’ data, marketing campaigns and paid media planning? Host and Principal Security Researcher Cyril Noel-Tagoe is joined by Spike’s Head of Paid Media Matt Wilkinson to discuss the effect bots will have on marketing analytics this Black Friday and how to keep your enterprise’s analytics safe from automated threats during periods of peak traffic.

Illicit forums and dark web marketplaces are so closely guarded that it’s almost impossible to know how many stolen user accounts, digital assets, or data leaks are exposed, let alone who is responsible. But the more we can uncover, the better we can defend against attacks and hold threat actors accountable.

Bonus episode: Cybersecurity Sessions host Cyril Noel-Tagoe was recently featured on the Mimecast podcast series Phishy Business. Cyril joined hosts Alice Jeffery and Brian Pinnock, plus fellow guest, Mimecast Senior Product Manager Dr Kiri Addison, for a fascinating conversation about bots and what they are used for (both good and bad). About Phishy Business

Cyber-criminals are relentless, and the number of attacks is growing. Businesses are increasingly turning to ethical hackers to find bugs and exploits before attackers do, offering financial incentives for their efforts. As a security researcher, our host Cyril Noel-Tagoe is always on the hunt for new vulnerabilities. He’s joined for this episode by ethical hacking enthusiast and Daily Swig reporter Jessica Haworth, who has a finger firmly on the pulse of the latest bug bounty programs and developments.

Mentoring is essential to closing the cybersecurity skills gap, especially in realizing the potential of people from underrepresented communities. In recent years many newcomers to cyber have been mentored by Gabrielle Botbol. Since teaching herself how to be a pentester, she has become recognized as one of Canada’s top 20 women in cybersecurity. Andy Still finds out how Gabrielle entered the world of cybersecurity after leaving another vocation, and how she is helping the next generation of women and underrepresented communities follow her ‘six steps to becoming a pentester’.