Daily Cyber Threat Brief - Episode 1039 Summary

Podcast: Daily Cyber Threat Brief
Host: Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Auger, Simply Cyber Media Group
Date: January 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off the new year with a rapid-fire rundown of the eight top cybersecurity stories shaping the landscape for professionals in 2026. Host Jerry Auger—known for mixing deep expertise with a supportive community-driven vibe—covers a spectrum of issues: from the evolving threats of AI agents and ransomware, to the resurgence of old vulnerabilities, and the lingering risks of phishing. Jerry provides actionable insights for analysts, GRC pros, blue teamers, and business leaders to stay informed and equipped.

Key Stories, Insights, and Takeaways

1. AI Agents as Insider Threats

Timestamp: 12:25

• Story: Palo Alto Networks’ Chief Security Intel Officer Wendy Whitmore identifies autonomous AI agents as 2026’s “biggest insider threat.”
• Risks Highlighted:
  • AI agents often granted broad, unchecked permissions (“super user problem”).
  • Potential for chaining access to sensitive apps and resources without oversight.
  • Pressure on security teams to rapidly adopt AI can bypass scrutiny.
• Jerry’s Insight:
  • It’s reminiscent of IT in the late 90s/early 2000s—over-permissive default settings for convenience, leading to massive risk.
  • Governance and visibility are crucial: “Knowing’s half the battle.” (18:07)
  • Threat actors can exploit these agents if not properly monitored.
• Action Points:
  • Map out and control AI agent identities.
  • Implement least privilege (referenced as NIST AC-6).
  • Start behavioral monitoring to baseline “normal” AI activity.

"Be aware: these agentic AIs are introducing massive risk to your environment… it has access and it’s designed for tasks, making attackers more efficient if compromised." — Jerry (17:55)

2. Honeypot Drama: RE Security Hack or PR Battle?

Timestamp: 19:42

• Story: The Scattered Lapsus Hunters group claims to have breached cybersecurity firm RE Security. RE Security insists attackers only accessed a honeypot.
• Claims & Counterclaims:
  • Attackers allegedly stole employee data, comms, and threat intel.
  • RE Security says it was staged—no real breach, just threat research.
• Jerry’s Perspective:
  • “Somebody’s lying… this is like a PR crisis management chess match.” (22:38)
  • Real takeaway: honeypots are valuable for both external and internal threat detection ("one of the highest fidelity tools as a defender").
• Community Tip: If you can’t deploy a full honeypot, use Canary tokens for high-signal detection.

“A honeypot is one of the highest fidelity tools you can deploy as a defender.” — Jerry (26:26)

3. Adobe ColdFusion: Old Tech, New Exploits

Timestamp: 28:26

• Story: Over Christmas, a Japanese-based attacker exploited a dozen 2023–24 ColdFusion vulnerabilities, generating thousands of attempts.
• Analysis:
  • Attack vector involves JNDI LDAP injection (log4j vibes).
  • 98% of attempts traced to one actor.
  • Main targets: US servers.
• Key Takeaways:
  • If you’re still running outdated tech like ColdFusion, you’re seriously exposed.
  • Holidays and off-hours = prime attack windows; often skeleton crew, less experienced staff.
• Security Hygiene:
  • Know your asset inventory.
  • Patch or retire obsolete/vulnerable platforms.

“Whoever this threat actor is, great work—you exploited a three-year-old vulnerability. Noise.” — Jerry (34:47)

4. Healthcare Ransomware Fallout: Covenant Health

Timestamp: 34:50

• Story: Covenant Health (MA) expands the impact of a 2025 ransomware attack from 7,800 to 478,000 affected individuals; Qilin ransomware group claims responsibility.
• Jerry’s Breakdown:
  • The human impact is real—healthcare is a “prime rib” target due to patient safety urgency.
  • Calculating breach scope is slow, labor-intensive ("no Control-A, Control-C").
  • Privacy stakes are high; data loss includes highly sensitive personal details.
• Lesson: Be aware that breach notifications are often revised upward as investigations continue.

“Privacy is an individual experience… for healthcare, it's so important to get breach response right.” — Jerry (37:27)

5. New Year’s Eve Breach: Sedgwick & Government Data

Timestamp: 47:15

• Story: Sedgwick (claims administration firm serving US federal agencies) hit by Trident Locker ransomware on New Year's Eve.
• Company Response:
  • Only subsidiary affected; rest of Sedgwick and most data “unaffected.”
  • Trident Locker is an unfamiliar group; only 3GB of data involved.
• Jerry’s Angle:
  • Attacks timed for holidays—staff are distracted or less experienced.
  • Don’t succumb to impostor syndrome with unknown threat actor names: “At the end of the day… I don’t care if they’re called Trident Locker, Flaming Donkey, or Flim Flam Jim Jam. It’s ransomware.” (48:48)
• Advice: Tabletop exercises and fundamental backups are critical.

6. Physical Layer Attacks: Finland’s Cable Incident

Timestamp: 51:25

• Story: Finnish police arrest two crew members of ship “Fitberg” suspected of damaging an undersea Baltic telecommunications cable.
• Implications:
  • Layer 1 “physical” attacks can be just as disruptive as sophisticated malware or zero-days.
  • Attribution via maritime GPS and incident correlation.
• Jerry’s Angle: Don’t overlook simple but effective threats to infrastructure.

“You break one link in the chain—doesn’t matter at what layer—it’s out.” — Jerry (52:02)

7. Google Cloud Email Feature Abused for Phishing

Timestamp: 58:02

• Story: Check Point reports a multi-stage phishing campaign exploiting Google Cloud’s Application Integration service to send convincing emails from legitimate-looking Google addresses.
• Why It Works:
  • Victims trust embedded infrastructure.
  • Phishing emails can evade DMARC, DKIM, and SPF.
• Defense Challenge:
  • Blocking the source address disrupts legitimate workflows and partner communications ("killing a mosquito with a cannon").
  • User education and targeted warning banners are more practical.
• GRC Advice: Work cross-functionally—there's rarely a “silver bullet,” so adapt controls with nuance.

“You can replace all your doors with walls—no one can break in, but your own people can’t get in either. It’s a stupid solution.” — Jerry (59:58)

8. Recognition for Cyber Defense: OBE for Lockbit Takedown

Timestamp: 64:16

• Story: Gavin Webb, National Crime Agency, receives Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his key role in Operation Kronos, which dismantled Lockbit infrastructure.
• Community Discussion:
  • OBE is a high civilian honor in the UK.
  • While Webb is individually recognized, such operations rely on large teams.
• Win for Security: Global cooperation and law enforcement can achieve real disruption of major ransomware groups.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On real-world skills:
  “Honeypots deployed inside your internal network? Highest fidelity you can get as a defender.” (26:34)

• On AI privilege issues:
  “Just because AI makes stuff work doesn’t mean it needs access to everything! We’ve been down this road before, it ended badly.” (16:08)

• On impostor syndrome:
  “If you haven’t heard of a threat actor group, doesn’t mean you’re slipping. Doesn’t matter what name they use; what matters is you know how to handle ransomware.” (49:21)

• On healthcare breaches:
  “There is no simple way; when it’s PDFs on a file server, you can’t just Control-A and move on. These are real people’s lives.” (36:09)

Community & Career Resources

Special Segments:

• Simply Cyber Community Member of the Week: Erica McDuffie honored for GRC leadership and mentorship.
• Career Q&A: Jerry fields questions on certifications, networking, career paths, and data opt-outs (Try Hack Me AI controversy).

Pro Tips:

• Use mentions and engagement to network on LinkedIn for job hunting ("get in someone’s awareness sphere").
• Check out Canary tokens and teapot honeypot software for practical defensive tools.
• Mike Holcomb’s ICS/OT YouTube playlist recommended for those in emergency management seeking cyber skills.

Important Timestamps

• [12:25] — AI agents as insider threat (Palo Alto Networks story)
• [19:42] — RE Security honeypot incident analysis
• [28:26] — Christmas ColdFusion exploit surge
• [34:50] — Covenant Health ransomware breach scope expansion
• [47:15] — Sedgwick ransomware, Trident Locker
• [51:25] — Finland undersea cable sabotage arrests
• [58:02] — Google Cloud email abuse for phishing
• [64:16] — OBE for Lockbit operation leader

Tone & Community Vibe

• Supportive, lively, educational: The show is punctuated by playful banter, encouragement for job seekers, and inside jokes, especially around cybersecurity culture. Regulars and newcomers are enthusiastically welcomed (“Welcome to the party, pal!”).
• Real talk: Jerry combines sharp, technical analysis with accessible analogies and “the more you know” moments.
• Mentoring at scale: Through “Jawjacking,” Jerry answers audience career and technical questions, further fostering the inclusive, knowledge-sharing ethos of Simply Cyber.

Bottom Line

Stay informed daily: The episode underscores that threat intelligence, old and new, still matters for all cyber defenders, and community comradery makes the journey better and more productive—whether you’re fighting ransomware, wrangling cloud email risks, or just starting out.

“If you’re looking to slay it in cyber, you’ve gotta stay current. And that’s why we do this show every weekday morning.” — Jerry

For more info, discussions, and workshops, visit: simplycyber.io