Talos Takes

The trust paradox: How attackers weaponize legitimate SaaS platforms

In this episode of Talos Takes, Amy Ciminnisi sits down with researcher Diana Brown to discuss the rise of "platform-as-a-proxy" (PAP) attacks. We explore how threat actors are weaponizing legitimate SaaS platforms like GitHub and Jira to deliver phishing campaigns that bypass traditional security filters. By leveraging the platforms' own infrastructure to send authenticated emails, attackers are exploiting the inherent trust employees place in these essential business tools. We break down the mechanics of these campaigns and provide actionable strategies for security teams to move beyond binary trust and implement contextual awareness to better protect their organizations. Blog: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/weaponizing-saas-notification-pipelines/ [https://blog.talosintelligence.com/weaponizing-saas-notification-pipelines/]

It's not you, it's your printer: State-sponsored and phishing threats in 2025

In this episode, we unpack state-sponsored and phishing trends from the 2025 Talos Year in Review. Amy and Martin Lee explore the alarming rise of internal phishing campaigns that bypass traditional perimeter defenses, including the widespread weaponization of Microsoft 365's Direct Send feature. Beyond simple phishing, we analyze the aggressive, blended operations of state-sponsored actors from China and North Korea who are combining high-level zero-day exploits with sophisticated social engineering. From the "Dear Leader" interview test to the reality of fake developer personas, we break down exactly how these adversaries are infiltrating modern organizations.  2025 Year in Review report: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/ [https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/]

2025's ransomware trends and zombie vulnerabilities

In this episode, Amy and Pierre Cadieux unpack the ransomware and vulnerability trends that defined 2025. From the persistent ransomware threats targeting the manufacturing sector to the rise of stealthy "living off the land" tactics, we break down what these shifts mean for your defense strategy. Why are attackers are increasingly targeting your management infrastructure? How do you spot the difference between a system admin and a threat actor? Tune in to hear Talos' insights on how to move beyond reacting to threats and start building a more resilient, proactive security posture for the year ahead.  View the 2025 Year in Review here: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/ [https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/]

Cybersecurity’s double-header: 2025 insights from Talos and Splunk

In this episode of Talos Takes, Amy is joined by William Largent (Cisco Talos) and Lou Stella (Splunk) for a "double-header" discussion. With the recent release of the Cisco Talos 2025 Year in Review and the Splunk Top 50 Cybersecurity Threats report, we’re breaking down the most critical trends that shaped the security landscape last year — all based on Cisco telemetry, Talos' original research, and Talos Incident Response engagements. From the professionalization of ransomware-as-a-service to the persistent challenge of decade-old vulnerabilities, this episode moves beyond the headlines to provide a practical roadmap for defenders. You’ll get tips on how to prioritize your defenses and reduce your attack surface for the year ahead. Talos 2025 Year in Review: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/ [https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/] Splunk Top 50 Cybersecurity Threats: https://www.splunk.com/en_us/campaigns/top-50-security-threats.html [https://www.splunk.com/en_us/campaigns/top-50-security-threats.html]

Modernizing your threat hunt

In this episode of Talos Takes, David Bianco from Cisco Foundation AI joins Amy to demystify the world of proactive cyber defense. We explore the evolution of the PEAK Threat Hunting framework and talk through how security teams can modernize their approach to identifying risks before they escalate. David also provides an exclusive look at a new open-source tool designed to help hunters navigate the "prepare" phase of PEAK with ease.  Whether you are building a new program from scratch or looking to refine your existing strategy, take a listen for actionable advice to help you take that next step in your security journey. PEAK Threat Hunting Assistant: https://blogs.cisco.com/security/introducing-peak-threat-hunting-assistant [https://blogs.cisco.com/security/introducing-peak-threat-hunting-assistant] GitHub: https://github.com/cisco-foundation-ai/PEAK-Assistant [https://github.com/cisco-foundation-ai/PEAK-Assistant]