Transatlantic Cable Podcast

With Covid continuing to halt holidays, events and even work-place parties, trying to get everybody together is proving tough.  To that end, Dave and Jeff sat down with Alexander Ilin, senior internal communications manager here at Kaspersky to ask him about his time managing internal events.  From tools and apps needed, right through to what to do to keep your guests entertained – if you’re looking to host a family Christmas party or even a last minute business party, be sure to tune in.

Like what you hear?  Be sure to subscribe!

Direct download: illin_180.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 8:18am EDT

For this episode of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast, Dave and I welcome back both Maria Namestnikova and Marco Pruess from the company’s Global Research and Analysis Team.

During this 30+ minute conversation, we discuss how the fallout from Covid-19 will impact the world in 2021. Now we are not just talking hopping in planes again, but what is at stakes for the research leading up to that day. Also, we examine the concept of global citizens and transparent travellers.

Direct download: predictions_178.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 6:41am EDT

In a very special episode of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable, Dave and Jeff sat down with Hamda Al Qubaisi, Formula 4 race-driver.  Hamda, originally from Abu Dhabi, talks with the Kaspersky team about her passion for driving and racing, travelling and what are some of her proudest achievements. 

Hamda also speaks about equality on the racetrack and why she thinks there’s a lack of women race-drivers on the tracks today.

Direct download: Podcast_Hamda.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 11:42am EDT

In this very special episode of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable, Dave and Jeff leave the world of cyber-security to talk to GT-driver and Kaspersky ambassador, Antonio Fuoco.  Antonio started racing from a young age and is currently working in the simulator team. 

In this episode, Dave and Jeff spoke to him about his passion for racing, gaming as well as how he handles himself on and off the track.

Direct download: Podcast_Fuoco.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 11:39am EDT

In a very special episode of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable, Dave and Jeff put down their usual cyber-security hats and replace them with racing hats as they chat with Giuliano Alesi.  Giuliano, son of Jean Alesi, has a real passion for racing, with some of his earliest memories being of racing around tracks.  However, despite his love for racing Giuliano also has another love: music. 

During the 30 minutes, Dave and Jeff talk to Giuliano about these loves, plus what he hopes the future holds for him and racing.

Direct download: Podcast_Alesi.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 11:37am EDT

There is no question that the Netflix show, The Queen’s Gambit has taken the world by storm. In a year when the world is upside down and everything is crazy with Covid-19, it is kind of fitting that a show based upon a cerebral game garnering all the attention.

At Kaspersky, we have a long history with chess and are the official cybersecurity partner of the FIDE World Chess Championship series. My wife had watched the show and a member of our PR team pitched me the idea of watching the show as part of a podcast. While I was skeptical of the fit for the weekly chats that Dave and I have, my friend Oksana noted that she had some angles that my amateur chess mind did not have in mind.

You see, my dear Russian friend had a good opportunity that, was in fact, too good to pass up. Instead of our usual format for the Transatlantic Cable Podcast, Dave and I welcomed on Costin Raiu – who you may know from his research work at Kaspersky – a noted chess lover and Dinara Saduakassova an International Master and Womens Grandmaster, 4-times World Chess Champion and Asian Women Champion.

During our 30+ minute chat, we discuss everything from Beth Harmon to international chess tournaments, getting kids involved with the games, stopping cheating and how computers have impacted the game.

Direct download: QueensGambit_Edit_p02.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 5:38am EDT

In an odd turn of events, the 174th iteration of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable Podcast takes Dave and I back to slew of topics that were hot in 2018 – ransomware, Bitcoin prices and more.

To start things off, we hop into a story about the skyrocketing price of Bitcoin. Dave and I share some of our theories on the rise - We are NOT financial analysts so do not use our talk as investing advice. From there, we move into some new patents filed by Microsoft that may leave you scratching your head, especially if you use Teams.

Our third story takes a bit of a sad turn as Facebook’s crackdown on “political” ads seems to have negatively impacted small business owners, AKA the groups that Facebook has claimed that they want to be helping the most in this pandemic. From there, we jump to the 2020 version of snow days for school students. Instead of snow, ransomware is the culprit for kids in the Baltimore school system – the 25th largest system in the USA. To close out the podcast, we look at the twisting tale of Phantom Secure that is just a TV movie waiting to happen – thank you for writing this Joseph Cox.

Direct download: podcast_174_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 10:10am EDT

In episode 173 of the Kaspersky podcast, Dave and Jeff look into several interesting stories, including a follow up on a previous week's story.  Included this week: 

Capcom's recent ransomware attack goes from bad to worse after full release schedule is leaked by attackers,

"Smart" doorbells are a privacy and security nightmare, according to a new study by consumer group Which?

Spotify hit with huge data-stuffing attack, with the use of over 300,000 accounts

Minecraft and PUBG dangers - parents and gamers be on the lookout! 

Direct download: 173_final.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Unfortunately we cannot take a hiatus from Covid-19 for the 172nd edition of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable Podcast. We kick off this episode looking at how Microsoft has fingered two nation states targeting Covid researchers for some cyber espionage.

Now, while it is unfortunate to see this, I would be lying if I said that it was in the bit surprising to me. Maybe I am cynical, or maybe it is just that deeds of crooks never seem to be opportunistic of high-stakes situations.

After the talk on the Covid-attacks, we jump over to another hot topic – ransomware. In this instance, we look at Capcom who has been hit with an attack that has seen PII like passport info, signatures and more siphoned off by criminals. The third story of the pod looks at how Amazon is going after influencers for hawking bootleg goods.

We end on a happier note with a look at how companies are helping other companies plan virtual holiday parties to keep their staff engaged.

Direct download: podcast_172_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 9:35am EDT

To open up the 171st episode of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable Podcast we dive into the world of the Silk Road.

No, Dave and I aren’t talking drugs, weapons or murder for hire, but rather Bitcoins. You see, the US government recently seized roughly $1 Billion in the currency that appears to be tied to the now-defunct ecosystem. From there, we dive into the aftermath of the 2020 US elections.

Now, we don’t discuss who won or who lost, but rather the insecurities in a site built to challenge some of the results by the GOP and the Trump team. From there, we head to Asia where there is a an apparent ransomware infection for Compal, the second-largest laptop manufacturer in the world.

We close out the podcast looking at a sad romantic story. In this tale from the UK, we are exposed to a widow who is one of many who fall into the world of fraud and cat-fishing. Unfortunately for the woman who is the focus of the story, not only did she lose a boat-ton of money, but she also helped launder money.

Direct download: podcast_171_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 6:26am EDT

We kick off the 170th edition of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable Podcast by looking at the so-called end of the Maze ransomware gang.

The cybercriminal enterprise recently issued a broken-English press release on their website announcing that they were exiting the game. While it would be easy to believe them at their word, they are criminals after all; and Dave and I are not buying it. From there, we jump over to Japan where the country’s nuclear agency warns of a cyber attack. While there are not many details at this time in Western or Eastern publications, this is one to keep an eye on.

We then jump into the world of Covid-19 for a pair of stories. The first discusses a change in AI that may help detect those infected with Covid via their cough. For the second tale, we head to the UK and the increase in cyberattacks that can be tied to Covid-19. We then head over to a story about update snafus for Wordpress that blog operators should be on the lookout for. To close out the podcast, we discuss the upcoming AMA with Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis team on November 12.

Direct download: podcast_170_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 5:06am EDT

Today will be a special edition of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable Podcast as Dave and I put down our news hats for once and chat with an executive within the Kaspersky ranks.

Our featured guest is none other than Alex Moiseev, the Chief Business Officer for Kaspersky. During our thirty-some-odd minute chat, we discuss a wide variety of topics.

These range from the company’s recent innovation report to Alex’ passion to startups and innovation to his love of motorsport and how racing has helped his career and much more.

https://youtu.be/zIEF1pxxPDg

Perhaps the juiciest bit from the interview is our discussion on the future of the cybersecurity industry, Eugene Kaspersky and his definition of AI and why this buzzword cannot die.

Direct download: podcast_169.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 6:09am EDT

The latest episode of the Kaspersky podcast looks into recent news that Donald Trump’s website was briefly hacked to promote a crypto-currency scam – whilst it was a single page which was hacked, it comes at a critical time in the U.S election.

From there, Dave and Jeff look a story about a psychotherapy clinic that was hacked with patients now finding their details on the dark-web and are also being contacted by an elusive individual called ‘The Ransom Guy.’ Anybody affected is being urged to contact the police.

To wrap up, they look at a case of ‘fake news’ in the retail sector, when somebody decided to create (a now deleted) UK Woolworths account. Anybody familiar with the retail chain will know that the beloved stores went under in 2008 – but it seemed that did not stop somebody from creating the account, with the story even reaching the press. Turns out, it was all a hoax.

Direct download: tcp_168_final.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 10:33am EDT

Who would have thought that we would start an episode of this podcast talking about Robin Hood? Well, you don’t have to go far as that is EXACTLY where we kick off this episode of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast.

Our first story of the week takes a look at some “Robin Hood” types who steal from corporations via ransomware and then donate a small fraction of the money stolen to non-profit organizations. Sorry, but I am not going to crown these guys heroes just yet. From there, we head to the air where British Airways was hit with a record-setting GDPR fine.

From the air, we crash into the seas to take a look at the ransomware attack that hit Carnival Cruise Lines and some of its subsidiaries. To close out the podcast, we look at the measures that Sony is taking to help police their online gaming.

Direct download: podcast_167_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 10:30am EDT

We kick off this week’s edition of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast, Dave and I kick things off looking at an active scam going off in the UK.

As if 2020 was not bad enough, now people need to be on the lookout for scams that are targeting them with travel and refunds that are more prevalent with everyone at home due to Covid – and the impact on people’s wallets is continuing to get bigger. From there, we jump across the Atlantic to Springfield, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, they saw their school system hit with ransomware. Only ones who were happy in this story were the kids with an impromptu snow day.

We stay in the US for our third story. This one takes a look at Google’s cooperation with law enforcement where they share search data related to crimes or events. This one seems to be in the current legal grey area that will probably be in some future legal proceedings. To close things out, we take a look at some leaked source code from Microsoft.

Direct download: podcast_166_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 11:21am EDT

In the 165th episode of the Kaspersky Transatlantic Cable podcast, Dave and Jeff take a look at the Security Analyst Summit (SAS2020) and the upcoming research, including news about a UEFI malware strain.

From there, they also look into news about a New Jersey hospital that was hit by ransomware, but took it upon themselves to reach out to the attackers to pay them off.  

To wrap up, Dave and Jeff also take a look at a recent, concerning, vulnerability in the Grindr dating app as well as a snafu involving the U.K PHE (Public Health England) and an out-of-date excel spreadsheet file format.

Tune in! 

Direct download: podcast_165_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 9:30am EDT

For the 164th episode of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast, Jeff and I look at a growing concern in the states: the U.S general election.

The story, from the BBC talks about what big-tech companies are doing to try to avoid a confrontation between the two sides in the upcoming election. There’s a real worry from the big tech companies that fake-news along with a growing divide amongst voters could cause real-world issues.

From there, Jeff and I take a look at yet another ransomware attack on a hospital chain in America, this time affecting 400 hospitals – many of the staff have had to use pen and paper as all hospital records are stored online. We then jump to a chat with Denis Legezo from the Kaspersky GReAT team about some upcoming SAS Online research.

To wrap up, we look at a story about Google, GDPR data privacy and children. If you liked what you heard, consider subscribing!

Direct download: podcast_164_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 4:27am EDT

For the 163rd episode of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast, Dave and I kick things off with one of our favourite topics – Facebook.

In this tale the Silicon Valley titan is locked in a battle with Ireland’s Data Protection Commission. This battle has the location and sharing of European data with US servers. There is also a threat from Facebook to pull out of the region entirely. Let’s hope that we have enough popcorn to watch this one play out.

From there, we hop into a sad story out of Germany. Over the past week, a story has come out that a patient died after having to be redirected due to the first hospital being hit with ransomware. From there, we take a few minutes to review the new documentary The Social Dilemma. If you haven’t heard about it, the film takes a look at the negative aspects tied to social networks. Please note, if you don’t want spoilers, please fast forward at this point in the podcast. To close out the show, we look at the millions of people who are still getting DVDs via mail from Netflix.

Direct download: podcast_163_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 5:35am EDT

For the 162nd edition of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast, Dave and I take a break from the mic to welcome in a special feature from our friends over at Tomorrow Unlocked. This episode takes a look at the digitization of schooling for parents and educators during the COVID-19 global pandemic. A full summary of the episode can be seen below:

Digitization is transforming all facets of society, not just work environments. The pandemic is driving this digitization at an astonishing speed, showing that there is still a lot more to be done: The field of education is mainly reactive, as new disruptive technologies develop in other industries and are then applied and accommodated into existing educational cultures and systems. The latest big disruption in the education sector was due to the Corona crisis. Millions of students had to learn from home from one day to another and schools had to react quickly. To understand more about the current situation, and how education has to change in the future we invited Filip Dochy, an expert on education at the KU Leuven, and two parents Daniela Alvarez De Lugo and Riccardo de Rinalidini to talk with our host David Jacoby about the future of education.

Direct download: Podcast_mixdown_v9.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 2:00pm EDT

Episode 161 of the Kaspersky podcast kicks off with something that should have been left in the past: zoom-bombing. Turns out that it’s still very much a nuisance and is now being used to attack schools and lessons.

From there, Dave and Jeff look at how “three middle-aged Dutch hackers” managed to break into Donald Trump’s Twitter account back in 2016 thanks to credential stuffing and poor password management. They’ve since handed the details over to the relevant U.S authorities. Dave and Jeff then move onto look at how Portland, Oregon is trying to take on facial recognition by banning the use of it to both private and public institutions. To wrap up, they look at an intriguing update from the U.K where Bear Grylls is asking Scouts to take a ‘fake news’ test, helping children to better understand fake news and why it spreads.

Direct download: podcast_161_mixdown.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 4:49am EDT