Inside the PlugX malware removal operation, CISA takes victory lap and another Fortinet 0day

January 17th, 2025  |  1 hr 59 mins

apt research, cisa, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 30: We discuss French threat-intel Sekoia creating a portal to handle “sovereign disinfections” of the PlugX malware, CISA leadership taking a victory lap using the ‘Secure by Design’ pledge as a trophy, the new Biden cybersecurity Executive Order, another Fortinet zero-day, the TikTok ban and Ukrainian hackers targeting Russian companies.

Cast: Ryan Naraine, Costin Raiu and Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade

Hijacking .gov backdoors, Ivanti 0days and a Samsung 0-click vuln

January 10th, 2025  |  1 hr 48 mins

apt research, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 29: Another day, another Ivanti zero-day being exploited in the wild. Plus, China's strange response to Volt Typhoon attribution, Japan blames China for hacks, a Samsung 0-click vulnerability found by Project Zero, Kim Zetter's reporting on drone sightings and a nuclear scare. Plus, hijacking abandoned .gov backdoors and Ukrainian hacktivists wiping a major Russian ISP.

Cast: Ryan Naraine, Costin Raiu and Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade

US Treasury hacked via BeyondTrust, MISP and the threat actor naming mess

January 3rd, 2025  |  1 hr 49 mins

apt research, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 28: In this episode, we explore the ongoing challenges of threat actor naming in cybersecurity and the confusion caused by a lack of standardization, methodological inconsistencies and skewed, marketing-driven incentives.

Plus, the US Treasury/BeyondTrust hack, the surge in 0day discoveries, a new variant of the Xdr33 CIA Hive malware, and exclusive new information on the Cyberhaven Chrome extension security incident.

Cast: Ryan Naraine, Costin Raiu and Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade

Palo Alto network edge device backdoor, Cyberhaven browser extension hack, 2024 research highlights

December 27th, 2024  |  1 hr 53 mins

apt research, chatgpt, csrb, deepfake, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 27: We discuss the discovery of a Palo Alto network firewall attack and a stealthy network edge device backdoor (LITTLELAMB.WOOLTEA), the Cyberhaven hack and the shady world of browser extensions, and a look back at the top research projects that caught our attention in 2025.

Cast: Ryan Naraine, Costin Raiu and Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade

US government's VPN advice, dropping bombs on ransomware gangs

December 23rd, 2024  |  1 hr 58 mins

apt research, hack-back, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 26: We dive deep into the shadowy world of surveillance and cyber operations, unpacking Amnesty International's explosive report on NoviSpy, a previously unknown Android implant used against Serbian activists, and the links to Israeli forensics software vendor Cellebrite.

Plus, thoughts on the US government’s controversial guidance on VPNs, Chinese reports on US intel agency hacking, TP-Link sanctions chatter, Mossad's dramatic exploding beeper operation and the ethical, legal, and security implications of escalating cyber-deterrence. Also, a mysterious BeyondTrust 0-day!

Cast: Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, Costin Raiu and Ryan Naraine.

Surveillance economics, Turla and Careto, and the AI screenshots nobody asked for

December 13th, 2024  |  2 hrs 14 mins

apt research, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 25: An update on Romania’s cancelled election, the implications of TikTok on democratic processes, and the broader issues around surveillance capitalism and micro-targeting.

Plus, news on Turla piggybacking on cybercriminal malware to hit Ukraine, the return of Careto and the absence of IOCs, Claroty report on an Iran-linked cyberweapon targeting critical infrastructure, ethical considerations in cyberwarfare, and the implications of quantum computing on security and cryptocurrencies.

Cast: Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, Costin Raiu and Ryan Naraine.

Inside the Turla Playbook: Hijacking APTs and fourth-party espionage

December 7th, 2024  |  1 hr 47 mins

ai, apt research, nation-state, salt typhoon, turla, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 24: In this episode, we dig into Lumen/Microsoft’s revelations on Russia's Turla APT stealing from a Pakistani APT, and issues around fourth-party espionage and problems with threat actor attribution. We also discuss Citizen Lab’s findings on Monokle-like spyware implanted by Russian authorities, the slow pace of Salt Typhoon disinfection, the Solana web3.js supply chain attack affecting crypto projects, and the Romanian election crisis over Russian interference via TikTok.

Cast: Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, Costin Raiu, Ryan Naraine.

Volexity’s Steven Adair on Russian Wi-Fi hacks, memory forensics, appliance 0days and network inspectability

November 30th, 2024  |  1 hr 18 mins

apt research, nation-state, network inspectability, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 23: Volexity founder Steven Adair joins the show to explore the significance of memory analysis and the technical challenges associated with memory dumping and forensics. We dig into Volexity’s “nearest neighbor” Wi-Fi hack discovery, gaps in EDR detection and telemetry, and some real-talk on the Volt Typhoon intrusions.

We also cover news on a Firefox zero-day exploited on the Tor browser, the professionalization of ransomware, ESET's discovery of a Linux bootkit (we have a scoop on the origins of this!), Binarly research on connections to LogoFAIL, and major visibility gaps in the firmware ecosystem.

Cast: Ryan Naraine (SecurityWeek), Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade (SentinelLabs), Costin Raiu (Art of Noh).

Honorary buddy: Steven Adair (Volexity)

Russian APT weaponized nearby Wi-Fi networks in DC, new macOS zero-days, DOJ v Chrome

November 22nd, 2024  |  1 hr 28 mins

apt research, cisa, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 22: We discuss Volexity’s presentation on Russian APT operators hacking Wi-Fi networks in “nearest neighbor attacks,” the Chinese surveillance state and its impact on global security, the NSA's strange call for better data sharing on Salt Typhoon intrusions, and the failures of regulatory bodies to address cybersecurity risks.

We also cover two new Apple zero-days being exploited in the wild, the US Government’s demand that Google sell the Chrome browser, and the value of data in the context of AI.

Cast: Ryan Naraine (SecurityWeek), Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade (SentinelLabs), Costin Raiu (Art of Noh).

What happens to CISA now? Is deterrence in cyber possible?

November 15th, 2024  |  1 hr 53 mins

apt research, nation-state, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem Episode 21: We dig into an incredible government report on Iranian hacking group Emennet Pasargad and tradecraft during the Israel/Hamas war, why Predatory Sparrow could have been aimed at deterrence in cyber, and the significance of the FBI/CISA public confirmation of China-linked Salt Typhoon hacks.

Plus, discussion on hina’s cyber capabilities, the narrative around “pre-positioning” for a Taiwan conflict, the blending of cyber and kinetic operations, and the long tail of Chinese researchers reporting Microsoft Windows vulnerabilities. The future of CISA is a recurring theme throughout this episode with some speculation about what happens to the agency under the Trump administration.

Cast: Ryan Naraine (SecurityWeek), Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade (SentinelLabs), Costin Raiu (Art of Noh).