In this episode, Julien sits down with Chi En (Ashley) Shen, a distinguished threat researcher at Cisco Talos.

Ashley shares her fascinating journey from hacking forums in Taiwan to leading threat intelligence at global giants like Google and Mandiant.

Together, they explore the rising trend of compartmentalized cyberattacks, the evolving role of Initial Access Brokers (IABs), and Ashley’s proposed enhancements to the Diamond Model. The episode also dives into her work promoting diversity in cybersecurity through initiatives like HITCON Girls and Raclette.

Links:

• Ashley on Bluesky

• Ashley’s podcast Hacks Between Us (我們之間的駭)

• Blog article: Redefining IABs: Impacts of compartmentalization on threat tracking and modeling
• Diamond Model
• HITCON Girls
• Raclette Switzerland (Cybersecurity Community)
• Ashley’s upcoming talk at Black Hat USA

On this episode, Mark Parsons, Senior Threat Hunter at Sophos MDR, discusses his team's investigation into Operation Crimson Palace, which uncovered Chinese state-sponsored cyberespionage targeting a Southeast Asian government. Mark explains how they identified three distinct clusters of activity using advanced malware and evasion techniques, including previously unreported tools like CCoreDoor and PocoProxy.

Show Notes

• ​Operation Crimson Palace: Sophos threat hunting unveils multiple clusters of Chinese state-sponsored activity targeting Southeast Asian government
• ​Surfacing a Hydra: Unveiling a Multi-Headed Chinese State-Sponsored Campaign Against a Foreign Government
• ​Crimson Palace returns: New Tools, Tactics, and Targets

In this episode of Malspace, Pierre Delcher, Head of Cyber Threat Research at HarfangLab, discusses the alarming rise of Russian disinformation campaigns targeting European and US media. We explore how cloned websites of outlets like Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and The Washington Post are being used to spread fake news, manipulating public opinion. Pierre sheds light on the techniques behind these operations and the role European companies play in keeping them online.

Show Notes

• EU Disinfo Lab on Doppelgänger
• Qurium - Under the hood of a Doppelgänger
• Correctiv - How Russia uses EU companies for its propaganda
• BayLfV report (German)
• Mid-year Doppelgänger information operations in Europe and the US