Shai-Hulud 2.0, Russia GRU Intrusions, and Microsoft’s Regulatory Capture

November 29th, 2025  |  1 hr 57 mins

ai, apt research, cyberespionage, nation-state, ransomware, spyware, zero-day

(Presented by Material Security: We protect your company’s most valuable materials -- the emails, files, and accounts that live in your Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cloud offices).

Three Buddy Problem - Episode 74: We attempt to parse the rumor-fog around Microsoft’s CISO at CYBERWARCON and what it reveals about the company’s shifting posture on intel sharing, regulation, and its outsized grip on the security ecosystem. Plus, coverage of the Shai-Hulud npm supply-chain mess, CISA’s mobile spyware guidance, NSO’s legal contortions, a sharp new GRU-linked intrusion from Arctic Wolf.

We also discuss the FCC retreating on telco security rules, and the emerging AI arms race shaping how cloud giants hunt threats and how Washington misunderstands all of it.

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

Can Apple's New Anti-Exploit Tech Stop iPhone Spyware Attacks?

September 9th, 2025  |  2 hrs 45 mins

apt research, cyberespionage, nation-state, spyware, surveillance, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem - Episode 61: We cover a pair of software supply chain breaches (Salesforce Salesloft Drift and NPM/GitHub) that raises big questions about SaaS integrations and the ripple effects across major security vendors.

Plus, Apple’s new Memory Integrity Enforcement in iPhone 17 and discussion on commercial spyware infections and the value of Apple notifications; concerns around Chinese hardware and surveillance equipment in US infrastructure; Silicon Valley profiting from China’s surveillance ecosystem; and controversy around a Huntress disclosure of an attacker’s operations after an EDR agent was mistakenly installed.

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

Thomas Rid joins the show: AI consciousness, TP-Link's China connection, trust in hardware security

April 25th, 2025  |  1 hr 33 mins

apt research, china, nation-state, north korea, spyware, surveillance, zero-day

Three Buddy Problem - Episode 43: Director of the Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies Thomas Rid joins the show for a deep-dive into the philosophical and ethical considerations surrounding AI consciousness and anthropomorphism. We dig into the multifaceted implications of AI technology, particularly focusing on data privacy, national security, and the philosophical questions surrounding AI consciousness and rights.

Plus, TP-Link under US government investigation and the broader issues of consumer trust in hardware security, the need for regulation and inspectability of technology, and the struggles with patching network devices.

Cast: Thomas Rid, Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade and Ryan Naraine.

• Costin Raiu is away this week.

Careto returns, IDA Pro pricing controversy, crypto's North Korea problem

October 4th, 2024  |  1 hr 30 mins

careto, crypto, hexrays, ida pro, north korea, paragon, russia, spyware, virus bulletin, virustotal, yara

Three Buddy Problem Episode 15: Juanito checks in from Virus Bulletin with news on the return of Careto/Mask, a ‘milk-carton’ APT linked to Spain. We also cover the latest controversy surrounding IDA Pro's subscription model, a major new YARA update, and ongoing issues with VirusTotal's value and pricing. The conversation shifts to North Korean cyber operations, particularly the infiltration of prominent crypto companies, Tom Rid's essay on Russian disinformation results, and the US government's ICE department using commercial spyware from an Israeli vendor.

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