The hottest Cybersecurity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

AI safety is not a model property

AI Snake Oil • 796 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Cybersecurity Ethics
  1. AI safety is not a property of AI models, but depends heavily on the context and environment in which the AI system is deployed.
  2. Efforts to fix AI safety solely at the model level are limited, as misuses can still occur since models lack necessary context for decision-making.
  3. Defenses against AI model misuse should focus primarily outside models, on attack surfaces like email scanners and URL blacklists, and red teaming should shift towards early warning of adversary capabilities.

Too Many Toads: Lost in Translation

Natto Thoughts • 39 implied HN points • 17 Apr 24
🌍 World Politics Cybersecurity Russian Influence
  1. Machine translations can lead to misunderstandings in cybersecurity investigations, such as referring to 'toads' instead of messaging services like Jabber. Dates are vital in understanding conversations and events, providing crucial context for analysis.
  2. Understanding cultural and linguistic nuances is key in interpreting original texts; for example, 'soap' in Russian slang can mean 'email.' Analyzing words like 'world' or 'peace' requires understanding of cultural and political contexts.
  3. Sharing original language texts and dates can uncover deeper insights in cybersecurity investigations, as seen in the case study of Conti ransomware group. Deep knowledge of language and culture is valuable for comprehensive analysis.

Intrusion Truth Methods: How Can They Get It Right Again and Again?

Natto Thoughts • 79 implied HN points • 10 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Investigative Reporting Threat intelligence Community Building
  1. Intrusion Truth has a track record of correctly identifying Chinese threat actors tied to APT groups, leading to US DoJ indictments.
  2. Their success stems from starting investigations by leveraging report findings, receiving tips, and exploring science and technology companies in specific regions.
  3. Intrusion Truth's methods showcase the value of outdated research, the importance of community collaboration for threat hunting, and the need for deep understanding of the threat environment.
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OpenAI in Davos…Looking Back on 10 Years of Unicorns With Aileen Lee...Stripe and SpaceX’s Secondary Pricing

Newcomer • 1238 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Startups Cybersecurity Venture Capital Space Exploration
  1. OpenAI has faced challenges as a 'big tech' company early in its life, including raising significant funds and experiencing executive drama.
  2. OpenAI removed its 'Don't Be Evil' slogan and is now collaborating with the Department of Defense on cybersecurity projects.
  3. Aileen Lee's research on unicorns reveals that strong unicorns are more involved in enterprise tech than consumer tech, with many 'papercorns' yet to prove their value.

When the Houthis Found “the Cloud"

Interconnected • 230 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics International relations Cybersecurity Terrorism Global Economy
  1. The Houthis damaged four undersea cables in the Red Sea, disrupting 25% of data traffic in that area, showing the vulnerability of global data connectivity.
  2. More than 20 countries are involved in the ownership and operation of these damaged undersea cables, highlighting the geopolitical implications of such incidents.
  3. A Hong Kong company, HGC Global Communications, played a central role in addressing the cable damages, emphasizing the fragility of the global data network despite its powerful infrastructure.

Sam Altman’s Big, Bad Idea

Nonzero Newsletter • 463 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Cybersecurity Governance AI Ethics Tech startups
  1. There is a push to increase investment in AI technology, with companies seeking trillions of dollars for large-scale projects. This poses potential benefits but also risks like job loss and psychological effects.
  2. Egypt is constructing a large 'security zone' to handle displaced Palestinians, possibly due to Israel's actions in Gaza. The situation highlights complex political and humanitarian dilemmas in the region.
  3. AI tools are increasingly used in various sectors, from analyzing workplace communication to cyberattacks. The technology's potential benefits come with concerns about privacy, worker rights, and security vulnerabilities.

5 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2024

Frankly Speaking • 305 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence Data Analysis
  1. Security companies are shifting focus to platforms, leading to acquisitions and consolidations to improve operational efficiency.
  2. Cybersecurity is moving towards more building and software engineering, away from solely relying on buying tools to solve problems.
  3. The adoption of reasonable metrics is becoming crucial for cybersecurity, allowing for better justification of funding and overall security enhancement.

ChinAI #251: A surprise in the data on China's chip imports

ChinAI Newsletter • 609 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Semiconductors Trade Geopolitics Cybersecurity
  1. China's chip imports dropped for the first time in consecutive years due to geopolitical factors and increased demand in emerging industries like 5G and AI.
  2. China has been focusing on localizing chip production to reduce the trade deficit, with the self-sufficiency rate increasing from 16.6% in 2020 to 23.3% in 2023.
  3. In the past ten years, China's chip industry experienced significant growth, with chip imports and exports doubling in quantity and value.

Security needs to be build again

Frankly Speaking • 152 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Problem Solving Tooling
  1. Cybersecurity industry faces challenges due to rapid evolution of technology forcing a reactive approach instead of proactive problem-solving.
  2. Security teams are overwhelmed with solutions, leading to over-reliance on tools without understanding root causes of problems.
  3. Security needs to shift focus back to problem-solving and building comprehensive solutions that go beyond just using tools.

i-SOON Leak: Unanswered Questions and What Now?

Natto Thoughts • 79 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Government Hacking Surveillance
  1. Chinese hacker groups have historically displayed poor operations security, making mistakes and leaving evidence, despite successfully targeting critical infrastructure.
  2. The leaked i-SOON documents reveal the extensive involvement of private cyber security companies in China, indicating the government's reliance on external expertise.
  3. The effectiveness of the 'name-and-shame' strategy in compelling or deterring behavior of exposed Chinese threat actors appears limited, as seen with cases like Chengdu 404 and Goldsun.

My new book “Cyber for Builders" is now available on Amazon

Venture in Security • 707 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
💼 Business Cybersecurity Startups Entrepreneurship Investing Technology
  1. The book 'Cyber for Builders' is a comprehensive guide for building a cybersecurity startup.
  2. The book covers various aspects of cybersecurity industry including key players, trends, and essential insights for early-stage founders.
  3. The book has received praise from industry experts for its practical advice and guidance for navigating the complexities of building a cybersecurity company.

The Ethics of Cybersecurity

Rod’s Blog • 615 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Ethics Privacy Data Protection Encryption
  1. Cybersecurity is crucial for protecting personal information, financial assets, intellectual property, critical infrastructure, and national security.
  2. Ethical considerations in cybersecurity include principles like confidentiality, integrity, availability, and justice.
  3. Balancing security and privacy involves strategies like risk-based approaches, data minimization, using encryption, respecting privacy rights, and staying informed about cybersecurity trends.

How Crowdstrike fails

Frankly Speaking • 305 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Companies Cloud Acquisitions Challenges
  1. Crowdstrike initially succeeded by focusing on incident response, not just products, which differentiated them from competitors like Symantec.
  2. The company's expansion into adjacencies and acquisitions, like PAM and logging, is an effort to move from endpoint protection to a broader platform play for sustained growth.
  3. Crowdstrike may face challenges if they don't adapt successfully to selling to DevOps, security engineers, and managing acquisitions, risking plateauing growth and loss of market interest.

i-SOON: “Significant Superpower” or Just Getting the Job Done?

Natto Thoughts • 159 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
  1. A company's success heavily relies on hiring the right people and retaining them through competitive pay and employee-focused strategies.
  2. Business processes at i-SOON were dynamic and complex, involving partnerships, bid rigging, profit-sharing, and diversification to stay competitive.
  3. i-SOON's technology strategy focused on finding and exploiting vulnerabilities, although it faced challenges in developing its own exploits.

What Happened Was...

SHERO • 314 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gun Violence Cybersecurity Republican party Trump administration Legal Cases
  1. There were six separate mass shooting incidents in the United States last week, with a total of 13 people killed and 22 injured. It's crucial to stay informed and advocate for sensible gun reform.
  2. A new cybersecurity warning report reveals stealthy hacks from China into US infrastructure systems. It's essential to be aware of cybersecurity threats.
  3. Ronna McDaniel, the head of the Republican National Committee, is expected to step down. This marks the end of a significant era in the Republican Party.

i-SOON: Kicking off the Year of the Dragon with Good Luck … or Not

Natto Thoughts • 199 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics China Cybersecurity Government Military Espionage
  1. The leaked documents provide valuable insights into the business culture and practices of China's hacker-for-hire industry, showing the importance of connections and relationships in the pursuit of profits.
  2. The relationship between i-SOON and Chengdu 404 is complex, involving not just business partnerships but also competition, bid rigging, and sharing of tools and vulnerabilities.
  3. i-SOON's business struggles illustrate that the commercial hacking industry in China is profit-driven and reliant on navigating relationships and government policies to secure contracts and business opportunities.

Why we need more startups and venture capital in cybersecurity, and what needs to change for the industry to mature

Venture in Security • 511 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Startups Venture Capital Innovation
  1. The cybersecurity industry benefits from a large number of startups that lead to innovation and competition.
  2. Venture capital is crucial for cybersecurity startups to innovate, educate the market, and speed up the adoption of best practices.
  3. Investors need to better evaluate security startups, and the industry needs a reset of expectations to address real problems like navigating undifferentiated tools and poor go-to-market approaches.

The Importance of Cybersecurity Training

Rod’s Blog • 535 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Training Best Practices
  1. Employees trained in cybersecurity are more likely to follow best practices like strong passwords and software updates.
  2. Cybersecurity training is crucial for employees to recognize and prevent cyber threats, like phishing emails.
  3. Implementing cybersecurity training involves assessing employee knowledge, defining learning objectives, using appropriate training formats, providing regular training, and evaluating effectiveness.

The AI is eating itself

Platformer • 3419 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🕹 Technology AI Social media E-commerce AR Cybersecurity
  1. Generative AI is dramatically impacting the internet with a variety of changes to platforms and services.
  2. The increasing use of AI-generated content poses challenges such as misinformation, disruption, and a dilution of human wisdom.
  3. Research shows that relying on AI systems to generate data can lead to degradation and collapse of models, raising concerns for the future of the web.

🧠 Knowledge Series #23: Passkeys explained

Department of Product • 314 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Security Product Development User Experience Cybersecurity Authentication
  1. Passkeys are digital keys replacing traditional passwords, enhancing security and creating unique keys for each account and device.
  2. Major companies like Uber, Apple, Google, and Microsoft are actively supporting and implementing passkeys for a passwordless future.
  3. Product teams can implement passkeys by understanding how they work and following a step-by-step guide for integration.

The KQL Mysteries: Chapter 5

Rod’s Blog • 456 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Analysis Hacking AI Threat intelligence
  1. Jon and Sofia successfully identified and captured the teenage threat actors behind a financial breach using KQL queries and OSINT techniques.
  2. The threat actors were operating from a suburban house in Seattle, Washington, and were quickly apprehended by authorities, leading to the recovery of the funds.
  3. Despite the success, Jon remains suspicious about the involvement of the Night Princess hacker group, hinting at a potential unresolved mystery for the next chapter.

The KQL Mysteries: Chapter 6

Rod’s Blog • 416 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Analysis Network Security
  1. Jon discovers that the Night Princess was behind the cyber-attacks on his company, manipulating data, planting false clues, and covering her tracks.
  2. Jon uses KQL skills to investigate the Night Princess's activities by analyzing logon events and network events in the company's database.
  3. Collaboration between the Night Princess, CyberGhost, and DarkAngel in the cyber-attacks surfaces, raising questions about the Night Princess's identity and motives.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses: Tips and Best Practices

Rod’s Blog • 496 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Small businesses Tips Best Practices
  1. Small businesses are prime targets for cyberattacks due to limited resources and expertise, making it crucial for them to follow cybersecurity best practices.
  2. Small business owners should establish a culture of security to involve everyone, implement basic security controls like firewall and antivirus, and develop an incident response plan for cyberattacks.
  3. Seek external help from reputable sources like cybersecurity consultants, organizations, and government agencies to get guidance, expertise, and resources in enhancing cybersecurity measures.

Mental models for cybersecurity startup founders and why Microsoft cannot easily force nimble early-stage companies out of business

Venture in Security • 275 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Innovation Market Analysis Economics
  1. Large corporations like Microsoft may have resources, but they often struggle to innovate due to the innovator's dilemma.
  2. Startups need to focus on understanding market needs and finding the right distribution channels to succeed.
  3. Cybersecurity founders should consider external factors like market conditions and economic trends when planning their startup journeys.

The Best Cybersecurity Certifications to Pursue in 2024

Rod’s Blog • 575 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
🚌 Education Cybersecurity Certifications Training IT
  1. To succeed in cybersecurity, having the right certifications is crucial to showcase your knowledge and stand out in the job market.
  2. Choosing certifications that align with your experience, specialization, and career goals is important as all certifications are not equal.
  3. Popular cybersecurity certifications like CompTIA Security+, ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals, and GIAC Security Essentials offer diverse benefits and job opportunities with varying prerequisites, costs, and exam formats.

Preparing for Microsoft Security Copilot

Rod’s Blog • 496 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence Cloud Computing Training Monitoring
  1. Before adopting Microsoft Security Copilot, assess your current security situation by understanding assets, risks, vulnerabilities, and compliance requirements.
  2. Plan your integration strategy by deciding on which features to use, aligning with prerequisites such as licenses, and identifying user roles.
  3. Train your staff and stakeholders on how to use Microsoft Security Copilot, educate them about its benefits and challenges, and equip them with skills to operate and troubleshoot the service.

The KQL Mysteries: Chapter 3

Rod’s Blog • 456 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Analysis Threat intelligence Cryptocurrency Malware
  1. Jon and Sofia's financial accounts were compromised by hackers, leading them to investigate the breach and work towards recovering the stolen funds.
  2. Through KQL queries and Microsoft Sentinel workspace, Jon and Sofia uncovered details about the malware used in the cyberattack and the group of threat actors behind it.
  3. Jon and Sofia utilized Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence and various online resources to track the remote servers, cryptocurrency wallets, and patterns involved in the financial heist, narrowing down their search for the threat actors.

The KQL Mysteries: Chapter 4

Rod’s Blog • 396 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Cryptocurrency Data Analysis
  1. Jon and Sofia used KQL queries and tools like Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence to track down threat actors behind a financial breach, targeting remote servers and the master wallet separately.
  2. Jon discovered malicious activities on servers using methods like port scanning and DNS spoofing, eventually finding a network of servers communicating over Tor.
  3. Sofia tracked cryptocurrency transactions and wallets, identifying techniques like CoinJoin and stealth addresses, and used tools like Chainalysis to follow the money trail.

i-SOON Operations: A View from Kazakhstan

Natto Thoughts • 79 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Cybersecurity China Government Response Espionage
  1. The leaked materials from Chinese information security company i-SOON exposed cyber-vulnerabilities in Kazakhstan and highlighted the country's strategic importance to China in terms of economy and politics.
  2. Kazakh non-governmental cybersecurity experts criticize the government's cybersecurity efforts, pointing out weaknesses in infrastructure and the need for a separate, independent agency responsible for cybersecurity.
  3. Official responses from Kazakhstan avoid directly naming China in connection to the cyber-attacks, opting for diplomatic language and acknowledging foreign hacker activity without outright accusing a specific country.

Caveat emptor: product-led growth in cybersecurity can be a great idea, but it can also hurt or even kill security startups

Venture in Security • 235 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💼 Business Cybersecurity Product-led growth Sales Market Strategy Startups
  1. Product-led growth in cybersecurity can be beneficial for growth and reaching security practitioners.
  2. Product-led growth can harm cybersecurity startups by undermining traditional sales channels, causing revenue cannibalization, and leading to misplaced focus.
  3. Startups should carefully consider if their product is suitable for self-serve, avoid jeopardizing sales opportunities, and focus on value over rapid implementation of PLG.

Hero culture in cybersecurity: origins, impact, and why we need to break the toxic cycle

Venture in Security • 255 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Mental health Business impact Staffing
  1. Hero culture in cybersecurity is common and involves individuals working long hours and taking on immense responsibilities, leading to negative consequences.
  2. Hero culture in cybersecurity has roots in the original hacking culture, the adversary's presence, reliance on knowledgeable individuals, and a special relationship with the military.
  3. Hero culture is reinforced through employees' sense of identity, belonging, and fear, as well as by companies' reluctance to invest in adequate security measures.

i-SOON Toolkit: What is “TZ”?

Natto Thoughts • 1 HN point • 24 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Networks Investigation Intelligence Training
  1. The acronym "TZ" found in leaked i-SOON documents could stand for phrases like special investigation or special reconnaissance, and it is crucial for Chinese public security bureaus, hinting at its importance in network security efforts.
  2. In the context of Chinese acronyms, TZ might represent Chinese phrases with Pinyin initials T and Z, such as investment, special investigation, special military, or other relevant terms.
  3. Companies like i-SOON have seen business opportunities in offering products and training related to network investigation and reconnaissance, indicating a high demand for capabilities in this area among Chinese public security bureaus.

Privateering.

News Items • 196 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Global Economy Cybersecurity Geopolitical Tensions
  1. The modern economy and international order are being challenged by incidents at sea involving Houthi rebels, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the resurgence of piracy.
  2. The U.S. government has disrupted a dangerous Chinese hacking operation targeting American critical infrastructure networks in preparation for potential cyberattacks during conflict.
  3. Beijing's advanced hacking capabilities and interest in infiltrating U.S. critical infrastructure pose a significant cybersecurity challenge.