ShadowTalk: Powered by ReliaQuest

Malicious AI—The New Face of Cyber Threats

Resources: https://linktr.ee/ReliaQuestShadowTalkJohn and Tehman as they discuss:How AI is enabling large-scale, high-speed attacksNation-states weaponizing AI for attack automationThe rise of sophisticated AI-generated malwareJohn Dilgen: Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at ReliaQuest, where he specializes in researching cyber threats impacting ReliaQuest customers. With a strong technical background, he previously served as an Incident Response Analyst and Trainer at ReliaQuest.Tehman Tariq: Sr. Manager of Cyber Operations at ReliaQuest. He has spent a majority of my career leading our Incident Response, Security Architecture, and Detection teams. As well has working hand in hand with CISOs to introduce automation allowing for the maturity of their security programs.

Maintainer Compromise: The Next Supply-Chain Attack Vector in 2026

Resources: https://linktr.ee/ReliaQuestShadowTalkJoin hosts Brandon and John as they discuss:How supply chain attacks evolvedCampaigns targeting NPM package maintainersActionable defense strategiesBrandon Tirado: Director of Threat Research for ReliaQuest. A skilled cyber defense professional with a unique combination of management and hands-on experience. With a deep understanding of adversary motives and the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they use to achieve their goals, Brandon enjoys operationalizing his knowledge to make it more difficult for adversaries to operate within the environments of ReliaQuest customers. His managerial and hands-on experience enriches ShadowTalk with practical and strategic viewpoints.John Dilgen: Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at ReliaQuest, where he specializes in researching cyber threats impacting ReliaQuest customers. With a strong technical background, he previously served as an Incident Response Analyst and Trainer at ReliaQuest.

Kicking Off 2026 with Ransomware Insights and Defense Strategies

Resources: https://linktr.ee/ReliaQuestShadowTalkJoin hosts Brandon and Tehman as they discuss:The resurgence of LockBit 5.0 and its December 2025 surge in named organizationsHow top ransomware groups like Qilin, Akira, and Clop dominated in 2025.Actionable defense strategies for organizations to proactively combat ransomware in 2026Brandon Tirado: Director of Threat Research for ReliaQuest. Brandon is a skilled cyber defense professional with a unique combination of management and hands-on experience. With a deep understanding of adversary motives and the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they use to achieve their goals, Brandon enjoys operationalizing his knowledge to make it more difficult for adversaries to operate within the environments of ReliaQuest customers. His managerial and hands-on experience enriches ShadowTalk with practical and strategic viewpoints.

React2Shell Attacks Evolve, ClickFix Attacks, and Holiday Season Threats

Resources: https://linktr.ee/ReliaQuestShadowTalkJoin host John and intelligence analyst Ivan as they discuss:React2Shell Exploits Flood the Internet as Attacks Continue (1:06)ClickFix Style Attack Leveraging Grok and ChatGPT for Malware Delivery (7:39)New ConsentFix Attack Hijacking Microsoft Accounts via Azure CLI (13:50)Holiday Season Attack Risks: Phishing, Ransomware, and Defense Recommendations (18:22)John Dilgen: Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at ReliaQuest, where he specializes in researching cyber threats impacting ReliaQuest customers. With a strong technical background, he previously served as an Incident Response Analyst and Trainer at ReliaQuest.Ivan Righi: Threat Intelligence Analyst at ReliaQuest, specializing in technical cyber threat research. Since joining ReliaQuest in June 2019, Ivan has focused on data breach investigations, automations, threat actor profiling, and reverse engineering threat campaigns. He holds a Master of Science degree in Cybersecurity and a GIAC Reverse Engineering Malware (GREM) certification, bringing technical expertise and actionable insights.

React2Shell Exploits, CISA’s Brickstorm Warning, ShadyPanda’s Browser Weaponization

Resources: https://linktr.ee/ReliaQuestShadowTalkJoin host John along with systems security engineer Corey and intelligence analyst Hayden as they discuss:Chinese Threat Groups Exploiting the React2Shell Vulnerability (1:18)CISA Issues Alert on Persistent Brickstorm Backdoor Attacks (9:05)ShadyPanda Hackers Turn Millions of Browsers into Weapons (13:36)Storm-0249’s Shift to Targeted EDR Exploitation (20:09)John Dilgen: Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at ReliaQuest, where he specializes in researching cyber threats impacting ReliaQuest customers. With a strong technical background, he previously served as an Incident Response Analyst and Trainer at ReliaQuest.Corey Carter: Detection Researcher at ReliaQuest. A Florida native and former infantryman in the United States Marines, Corey holds a bachelor's degree in computer science with a specialization in information assurance. His experience as a Security Analyst and Threat Hunter at ReliaQuest, combined with his military background, equips him with a unique perspective on cybersecurity challenges.Hayden Evans: Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at ReliaQuest. He has experience in the F3EAD lifecycle and analyzing adversaries' TTPs to operationalize this information. He is also experienced with intrusion response, OSINT investigations, and offensive security.