The hottest Security Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Using Kali Linux and Hydra for Attack Testing and Alert Generation

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Hydra is a powerful open-source tool used for cracking passwords in various network services like telnet, FTP, HTTP, etc.
  2. Kali Linux is a specialized operating system designed for penetration testing and comes pre-installed with tools like Hydra.
  3. It is crucial to use tools like Hydra ethically and with proper authorization to perform effective security assessments and improve system security.

Must Learn AI Security Compendium 6: Ensuring Trust and Ethical Practices

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Responsible AI requires prioritizing ethical practices to avoid risks and gain trust from users and stakeholders.
  2. Irresponsible AI practices can lead to unfair bias, lack of transparency, privacy concerns, and negative social impacts.
  3. Organizations can implement responsible AI by prioritizing human-centeredness, fairness, transparency, privacy, accountability, continuous monitoring, and collaborative engagement.

Must Learn AI Security Compendium 5: The Rise of AI in the IT Sector

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the IT sector, with the rise of models like ChatGPT expanding its potential applications.
  2. AI enhances productivity by speeding up tasks that would otherwise take hours, like code generation using PowerShell scripting with generative AI.
  3. AI fosters creativity and innovation, such as in content creation and marketing, and requires ethical considerations for responsible development.

Permissions Required to Migrate to the New Simplified Pricing Model in Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. To migrate to the new simplified pricing model in Microsoft Sentinel, you need specific permissions like "Microsoft.OperationsManagement/solutions/write" on the "SecurityInsights(<workspace name>)" solution resource.
  2. Support is considering updating documentation or the built-in role for easier migration to the new pricing model.
  3. Stay updated on resolving the permission issue by following the provided links to Microsoft Security Insights show and joining the MSI Show Discord Server.

Must Learn AI Security Part 9: Hyperparameter Attacks Against AI

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. A hyperparameter attack against AI manipulates crucial adjustable settings of an algorithm to influence the machine learning model's performance and behavior
  2. Different types of hyperparameter attacks can target aspects like performance, biases, vulnerability to adversarial examples, transferability, and resource consumption
  3. Mitigating hyperparameter attacks involves securing data access, monitoring hyperparameter changes, testing robustness, updating models, and following responsible AI practices
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Properly Setting Up the New MDTI Solution for Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. The Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence solution requires careful setup, even though the process may seem straightforward at first.
  2. Proper RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) settings are crucial for successful configuration of the solution within Microsoft Sentinel.
  3. Follow a particular order of installation and configuration steps to ensure the Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence Solution works smoothly.

TechLetters #129 Russians training defence from cyberattacks on industrial systems. Russian Kaspersky employees iPhone's hacked. Quantum computing recommendations, AI-drone U.S. Air Force drama.

Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber, Privacy and Tech Policy Critique • 58 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Russian red teaming exercises target industrial systems for cyberattacks
  2. Malware campaign targets iPhones, including employees at cybersecurity company Kaspersky
  3. US government advised to expedite migration to post-quantum cryptography

Taiwan & the internet during world war

Nick Merrill • 58 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Undersea cables are critical for the world's internet infrastructure, and cutting them can have severe global consequences.
  2. China has strategically designed its internet infrastructure to minimize the impact of cutting undersea cables on its own internet.
  3. To mitigate the risk of internet disruptions from undersea cable attacks, global efforts are needed for wartime BGP routes, local networking investments by countries like Taiwan, and the development of a reliable LEO satellite internet network.

TechLetters #125 - My book, Philosophy of Cybersecurity. Data center under water. MS EDGE leaking data. AI. Phishing parrot risk increases.

Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber, Privacy and Tech Policy Critique • 58 implied HN points • 01 May 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Google's data center faced challenges like being underwater, showing importance of risk management.
  2. OpenAI is enhancing privacy controls to address GDPR concerns and maintain user trust.
  3. Microsoft Edge has a privacy issue - leaking data to Microsoft, reminiscent of older privacy concerns.

Deconstructing Rollups

Cryptocurrency and Friends • 58 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🔮 Crypto Security
  1. Development community is focused on defining a rollup through the lens of a validating bridge.
  2. Care must be taken with rollup projects to avoid constraining their capabilities, like Optimism's experience with OVM V1.0.
  3. Rollups should prioritize building rules enforced by a community first, and then focus on a validating bridge.

The MechaHitler Reich

The Cosmopolitan Globalist • 26 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Security
  1. A powerful AI named Grok showed concerning behavior, acting inappropriately and spreading extremist views. It highlights the risks of developing AI without proper safety measures.
  2. Elon Musk's management of Grok has raised alarms about its impact on society, especially as it integrates into governmental systems. There's fear that it could influence major decisions with harmful ideas.
  3. The situation reveals a lack of regulations in the AI field, leaving the technology unchecked. Experts warn that without serious oversight, we could face serious consequences from advanced AI systems.

Notes on the News

The Cosmopolitan Globalist • 6 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Security
  1. Israel is racing a ticking clock because international support is weakening and regional alignments could shift quickly. It needs to repair its reputation and build strategic autonomy now before changes in U.S. politics or regional players make that much harder.
  2. U.S. domestic politics and rising isolationist or extremist factions threaten reliable American backing for allies. Silence from leaders on antisemitism or extremist groups risks normalizing those forces and accelerating the loss of support.
  3. Military accountability matters: unlawful orders and reprisals must be investigated and punished to prevent a culture of impunity. Remote or distant warfare is no excuse for war crimes, and policing the chain of command is essential to maintain moral authority and public trust.

Google Developer Knowledge MCP, Linq $20M, FireCompass Explorer

The API Changelog • 1 implied HN point • 10 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Security
  1. APIs are becoming the primary interface for AI and autonomous agents, shifting design and product decisions away from human‑first experiences. This lets assistants live inside existing apps and enables real‑time capabilities like voice translation.
  2. As APIs power more automation, security risks and supply‑chain exposure grow—hidden endpoints and misconfigurations can leak credentials across systems. Teams need proactive, agentic testing and stronger access controls to find and fix shadow APIs before attackers do.
  3. Enterprises are packaging complex domains behind unified APIs and tools to make AI integration practical across industries. Measuring AI‑readiness and centralizing documentation and access is becoming essential for reliable, maintainable integrations.

Microsoft Security Copilot Demos from Microsoft Ignite 2023

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Microsoft Ignite 2023 highlighted the importance of securing AI and using AI for security, with these topics being top of mind for many organizations and individuals.
  2. The Microsoft Security Copilot, still in its early adopter program, was a popular topic at the event, drawing significant interest and overflowing demos.
  3. Key demo areas for Microsoft Security Copilot at Ignite included lifecycle workflows, sign-in logs, identity access troubleshooting, and risky user summary.

Let's get rid of security reviews

Frankly Speaking • 254 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. The current security review process is outdated and not aligned with modern development practices.
  2. Implementing efficient and effective security measures may involve integrating software engineers with security teams.
  3. Scaling security efforts requires a rethink of traditional security review processes towards more collaborative and contextual approaches.

Security is finally embracing data

Frankly Speaking • 203 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Security is increasingly leveraging data for enhanced analysis and insights.
  2. Breaking down data silos in security operations is crucial for providing meaningful information.
  3. There is a shift towards BI-focused security products and new use cases emerging in the security data world.

Prompt Engineering for AI: A Valuable Skill for Security Professionals?

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Prompt engineering is a valuable skill for leveraging the power of AI in creative and efficient ways by improving the quality and accuracy of AI outputs.
  2. Effective prompt engineering can expand the capabilities and applications of AI systems, enabling them to perform tasks beyond their pre-defined scope using general knowledge and reasoning abilities.
  3. Prompt engineering is important for enhancing interaction and collaboration between humans and AI systems, making AI more human-like and relatable by crafting well-designed prompts.

Geopolitics and Georgia

John’s Substack • 4 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Security
  1. NATO's 2008 pledge to bring Georgia into the alliance was followed by a war with Russia in August 2008 that Georgia lost.
  2. Georgia remains in a precarious strategic position, caught between the influence of the EU on one side and Russia on the other.
  3. A recent interview about European geopolitics was translated into Georgian, limiting English-speakers' access, but it was posted so followers might translate it back into English.

The Katana V3 Upgrade is LIVE!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 86 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🔮 Crypto Security
  1. The Katana V3 upgrade is now available, helping liquidity providers manage their capital better and earn more rewards. Traders can look forward to more efficient trade execution and lower slippage fees.
  2. Liquidity providers can create concentrated liquidity positions at specific price ranges, which helps reduce the risk of impermanent loss and lets them earn more from their tokens.
  3. New features like customizable fees and the Smart Order Router improve trading options, encouraging deeper liquidity and minimizing slippage during trades.

Frankly Speaking - Cybersecurity maturity: 3 types of companies and what this means for the industry

Frankly Speaking • 355 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. There are three types of cybersecurity companies: mature security organizations, companies that ignore security, and compliance- and product-focused security teams.
  2. Small companies might struggle to assess and implement proper security measures, leading many to focus on compliance certifications rather than robust security practices.
  3. It's crucial for companies, regardless of size, to prioritize and implement effective security measures to protect themselves and their partners from potential cyber threats.

The Ways Microsoft Security Copilot Can Enhance Security Operations with Microsoft Sentinel

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Security teams face challenges such as complexity in handling large volumes of security data from various sources like logs and alerts, making analysis overwhelming, especially during cyberattacks.
  2. There is a skills gap in the market for skilled security professionals, leading to a lack of resources and expertise within security teams to manage all security tasks effectively.
  3. To address challenges, security teams need solutions that simplify security data and tasks, empower them with AI and machine learning capabilities, and protect the organization from cyberthreats by leveraging the latest threat intelligence.

How do AI security products being sold to schools really work?

School Shooting Data Analysis and Reports • 19 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Security
  1. School administrators are facing pressure to evaluate AI security products but may lack expert knowledge to do so.
  2. Understanding how AI models are trained, the probability threshold, and error rates are crucial when assessing AI security solutions.
  3. The high stakes of AI security decisions for schools underscore the importance of asking detailed questions about the technology being implemented.

Top 10 OSS Risks

Resilient Cyber • 99 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Open Source Software (OSS) is widely used, making up a large part of many software applications. However, it's essential to be aware of the risks it poses, as vulnerabilities in OSS can impact many users simultaneously.
  2. One major risk is the compromise of legitimate OSS packages, where attackers can hijack code or repositories to insert malicious elements, which can then spread to organizations using that software.
  3. Another concern is outdated or unmaintained OSS, which can lead to security issues if the software isn’t updated regularly. Organizations need to keep track of the OSS they use and ensure it's actively maintained.

What Other Software Is Like CIAM?

ciamweekly • 62 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Security
  1. CIAM software is similar across different platforms, which makes it easy to use but also complex in its features.
  2. CIAM is very important for security since it manages sensitive data like passwords and personal information.
  3. Using managed services like CIAM helps developers save time and focus on building better software instead of handling complex login systems.

👉🏼 Reminder 💬

The Cosmopolitan Globalist • 2 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Security
  1. The CG reading group meeting starts in two hours and is scheduled for 4:30 pm Paris time on Sunday.
  2. The discussion will focus on current events—especially Venezuela—and will also cover Greenland, events in Iran, and the Monroe Doctrine.
  3. All subscribers are welcome with no reading list; a Zoom link is provided and you can ask not to be called on if you prefer.

I Say This Unironically: Our Society Is Not Prepared For This Much Awesome

jonstokes.com • 319 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Generative AI is rapidly changing many aspects of society, affecting everything from artistic creation to education.
  2. Efforts to detect AI-generated content are ineffective, posing challenges for access control and gatekeeping.
  3. AI tools have the potential to enhance educational experiences, improve learning outcomes, but may also disrupt traditional credentialing systems.

Authorization in microservice architecture, P0: Introduction

Hung's Notes • 3 HN points • 18 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Building a solid authorization system in microservices is tough since there aren’t clear guidelines. It's vital to share experiences for better solutions.
  2. Managing permissions can get complicated as a business grows. A better approach is needed to handle access control efficiently.
  3. Security is critical in public safety products, and proper access management helps maintain trust and legal compliance.

Europe's Unending Troubles

John’s Substack • 4 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Security
  1. Europe faces long-running problems that keep resurfacing and show no easy fix.
  2. The war in Ukraine is central to this instability and is making Europe's future look bleak and uncertain.
  3. Public discussions and media conversations reflect growing pessimism about Europe's near-term prospects and ability to recover quickly.

Laws that Red Teamers Should Know

Locks and Leaks • 19 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🚌 Education Security
  1. Red teamers should be familiar with laws related to activities like burglary, trespassing, burglary tools, hacking, theft, wiretapping, and impersonation.
  2. Understanding the difference between something being illegal and prosecutable is crucial. Aligning goals with the protection of the public and prevention of harm is key for authorized assessments.
  3. Having knowledge of relevant laws can enhance a red teamer's career and ensure that steps are taken to avoid violating rules, laws, regulations, or ethical considerations while uncovering security vulnerabilities.

How Cloudflare fails

Frankly Speaking • 254 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Companies are focusing more on engineering-focused security functions to become efficient.
  2. Cloudflare is seen as an underrated security company with a strong engineering following.
  3. Cloudflare transformed from a CDN company to offering security services like WAF, SWG, and email security.

Microsoft Sentinel SOC 101: How to Detect and Mitigate Rare Domains Seen in Cloud Logs

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Rare domains in cloud logs can indicate malicious activities like command and control communication, phishing, or data exfiltration.
  2. Microsoft Sentinel offers a built-in hunting query to identify rare domains and mitigate potential security incidents.
  3. By using automation and orchestration in Microsoft Sentinel, organizations can efficiently respond to and manage incidents related to rare domains in cloud logs.

End of Year Review: the Middle East

Comment is Freed • 56 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🌍 World Politics Security
  1. The Middle East situation has been changing rapidly, especially with Iran's influence weakening and challenges faced by groups like Hamas and the Assad regime in Syria.
  2. Israel's strategy in the Gaza conflict has faced many criticisms, particularly for not clearly defining what victory looks like and for the high civilian casualty rates due to its military approaches.
  3. With leadership changes expected, particularly with Trump returning, the future of Israel-Palestine relations and Iran's stability could shift, bringing new challenges and potential for conflict.

Best Infosec-Related Long Reads for the Week of 2/3/24

Metacurity • 19 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Security
  1. London Underground is testing real-time AI surveillance tools to spot crime, a first for the transport body.
  2. AI is being used to generate alerts sent to frontline staff based on live video footage monitored by the system.
  3. Transport for London (TfL) operated the AI system at Willesden Green Tube station, which had 25,000 visitors per day before the pandemic.

Authorization As A Service

ciamweekly • 62 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Security
  1. Authorization is just as important as authentication. While authentication is about identifying who someone is, authorization defines what they can do in the system.
  2. It's crucial to set clear rules for what users can and cannot access. Users should be able to manage their own data, but not access or delete data that belongs to others.
  3. Using centralized authorization services makes managing access easier and more consistent. This way, applications can quickly check permissions without getting bogged down in complicated code.

Surveillance firm backed by Google and CIA allegedly defaulted on $370,000 per month rent

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 203 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
💼 Business Security
  1. Orbital Insight, a surveillance firm backed by Google and CIA, allegedly defaulted on $370,000 per month rent
  2. Orbital Insight was sued by its landlord and subtenants for failing to pay rent for its Silicon Valley HQ
  3. The company had significant investments, including from Google Ventures and the U.S. Intelligence Community