Roll up roll up, it’s that time for the monthly what we’re reading blog, in which some of us in the Photon research team review articles or papers which have piqued our interest in the last month. In this blog we’re looking at Chainanalysis’ recent report surrounding cryptocurrency and its relation to cybercrime, we’re learning […]
To say that 2021 was a turbulent year for security teams would be a massive understatement. Last year, we observed paralyzing ransomware operations against critical infrastructure, supply-chain attacks impacting hundreds of organizations, and state-sponsored espionage campaigns leaving no company—even those with expensive firewalls—feeling safe. Within this messy ecosystem, initial access brokers (IABs) have established themselves […]
Russia and Ukraine have had a particularly tense relationship since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. In the past weeks, we’ve observed Ukraine being at the centre of escalating rhetoric and military activity between Russia and Western powers. Currently, more than 100,000 Russian troops are reportedly amassed along the Ukrainian border and are prompting concerns […]
Note: This blog is part of a series of articles related to the use of Structured Analytic Techniques in the Cyber Threat Intelligence practice. Previous examples include our Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (ACH) for REvil and a SWOT on AlphaBay’s return. The end of the year is fast approaching. The festive lights are hanging from […]
Last year, I rounded up the three most significant events for 2020 and crossed my fingers for brighter days ahead. Trapped in the tropics for most parts of 2021, I wasn’t sure if it was the cabin fever or the mask-fatigue but things were not looking great for me. Having spent the past couple of […]
Note: This blog is part of a three-blog series on Vulnerability Intelligence that accompanies the release of Digital Shadows (now ReliaQuest)’ latest whitepaper titled Vulnerability Intelligence: Do You Know Where Your Flaws Are? Managing vulnerabilities is a daunting task for security teams that are constantly busy with keeping up with the vulnerability threat landscape. New […]
Well, here we are again. Another blog on a topic that’s often spoken about but little understood: cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency-related decentralized finance (DeFi) is seeing unprecedented interest from retail and institutional investors alike. Both the cybercriminal-friendly Bitcoin and Ether, the token for the Ethereum blockchain, have hit all-time highs this week. The price of cryptocurrency tokens […]
As an intelligence analyst, it’s paramount that you stay on top of what’s happening in the world around you. To further inform our own research and develop our skills, we often read lots of different blogs and news sources every week throughout the month. We’re continuing this series to showcase some of the brilliance outside […]
We’re into the third week of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). In the last two weeks, we have covered How to Manage Your Digital Shadow and Lesser Known Phishing Tactics. Changing the tempo for a bit, this week, Chris and Xue will bring to fore their experiences working in the cybersecurity industry. Having both coming […]
Initial access brokers (IABs) are enablers of high-level cybercriminal activity. They identify weak points in their targets’ systems and networks, and sell these accesses to prospective attackers for profit. Essentially, doing the dirty work for other cybercriminals. They have become increasingly active, and are likely raking the profits in, big-time. Why have we seen an […]