Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks

Encore: 39 Seconds to Breach

Enjoy this encore episode of Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks. Can your organization survive a breach in 39 seconds? That's how fast attackers are moving now, and if your defenses are still running at human speed, you're already behind. ⁠⁠Wendi Whitmore⁠⁠, Chief Security Intelligence Officer at Palo Alto Networks, returns to Threat Vector for a candid conversation with⁠ ⁠David Moulton⁠⁠ about what it actually takes to build resilience in an era where AI is accelerating both the threat and the defense. Wendi brings more than two decades of experience leading incident response and threat intelligence at organizations including Mandiant, CrowdStrike, IBM X-Force, and Unit 42. She's an inaugural member of the DHS Cyber Safety Review Board and serves on cybersecurity advisory boards at Duke University and the University of San Diego. You'll learn: Why fighting AI with AI is the only viable response to today's attack speeds, including exfiltration happening in under a minute How Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon represent two fundamentally different threat objectives, and what that means for your defense posture What "cybersecurity for AI" means versus "AI for cybersecurity," and why organizations need both How the best incident response leaders translate between deep technical analysis and boardroom communication under pressure Why curiosity, not certifications, is the trait that separates great security practitioners from the rest Wendi is one of the most respected voices in national cybersecurity strategy, with a track record that spans major breaches, critical infrastructure defense, and the Paris Olympics. Her perspective on building teams, aligning talent to mission, and defending against nation-state actors at scale is grounded in real-world investigation, not theory. This episode is essential listening if you're: a security leader trying to align your AI strategy with your risk posture, a practitioner wondering how to make the case for faster detection and response investment, or someone building or managing a threat intelligence or incident response team. Related Episodes: ⁠⁠Confronting China's Expanding Cyber Threats with Wendi Whitmore⁠⁠ — Wendi's first appearance on Threat Vector, focused on Chinese nation-state activity and critical infrastructure targeting. ⁠⁠Transform Your SOC and Get Ahead of the Threats⁠⁠ — A deep dive on SOC transformation, AI-driven detection, and what it means to modernize your security operations center. ⁠⁠The Art of Threat Hunting⁠⁠ — How human analysts and AI work together to find what attackers are trying to hide. #CyberResilience #AIinCybersecurity About Threat Vector Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks is your premier podcast for security thought leadership. Join us as we explore pressing cybersecurity threats, robust protection strategies, and the latest industry trends. The podcast features in-depth discussions with industry leaders, Palo Alto Networks experts, and customers, providing crucial insights for security decision-makers. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of the curve with innovative solutions or understand the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Threat Vector equips you with the knowledge needed to safeguard your organization. Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks enables your team to prevent successful cyberattacks with an automated approach that delivers consistent security across the cloud, network, and mobile.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://paloaltonetworks.com.⁠⁠

Encore: Don't Leave Them to Their Own Devices

Enjoy this encore episode of Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks. In this episode of Threat Vector, host⁠ David Moulton⁠ speaks with⁠ Asher Davila⁠, Principal Security Researcher at Palo Alto Networks, about the newly released 2025 Device Security Enterprise Threat Report. This data-rich report reveals that over 21% of connected enterprise devices have known vulnerabilities, and nearly 40% of devices registered in Active Directory lack proper EDR/XDR coverage. Even more concerning, 32.5% of all network-connected assets are unmanaged, creating a massive blind spot for defenders. Asher breaks down why understanding both managed and unmanaged device exposure is essential to securing modern environments. From weak segmentation to credential-based threats and lifecycle risks, this conversation delivers critical insights for security leaders seeking to gain control of their expanding device landscape. Read the ⁠2025 Device Security Threat Report.⁠ Join the conversation on our social media channels: Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠ Threat Research:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LifeatPaloAltoNetworks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/unit42/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@paloaltonetworks⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/PaloAltoNtwks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Threat Vector Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks is your premier podcast for security thought leadership. Join us as we explore pressing cybersecurity threats, robust protection strategies, and the latest industry trends. The podcast features in-depth discussions with industry leaders, Palo Alto Networks experts, and customers, providing crucial insights for security decision-makers. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of the curve with innovative solutions or understand the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Threat Vector equips you with the knowledge needed to safeguard your organization. Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks enables your team to prevent successful cyberattacks with an automated approach that delivers consistent security across the cloud, network, and mobile.⁠⁠ ⁠http://paloaltonetworks.com.

Encore: Securing the AI Supply Chain

Enjoy this encore episode of Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks. AI security is no longer optional, it’s urgent. In this episode of Threat Vector,⁠ David Moulton⁠ sits down with⁠ Ian Swanson⁠, former CEO of Protect AI and now the AI Security Leader at Palo Alto Networks. Ian shares how securing the AI supply chain has become the next frontier in cybersecurity and why every enterprise building or integrating AI needs to treat it like any other software pipeline—rife with dependencies, blind spots, and adversaries ready to exploit them. They also explore "vibe coding" the practice of developers relying on instinct and intuition rather than rigorous review when coding with or around LLMs. It's a fun name for a very real risk. Whether you're a CISO, a developer, or anyone helping shape AI in your organization, this conversation is your guide to locking down AI before it locks you out. Join the conversation on our social media channels: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threat Research:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LifeatPaloAltoNetworks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/unit42/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@paloaltonetworks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/PaloAltoNtwks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Threat Vector Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks is your premier podcast for security thought leadership. Join us as we explore pressing cybersecurity threats, robust protection strategies, and the latest industry trends. The podcast features in-depth discussions with industry leaders, Palo Alto Networks experts, and customers, providing crucial insights for security decision-makers. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of the curve with innovative solutions or understand the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Threat Vector equips you with the knowledge needed to safeguard your organization. Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks enables your team to prevent successful cyberattacks with an automated approach that delivers consistent security across the cloud, network, and mobile.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://paloaltonetworks.com.⁠

Encore: The Billion Dollar Hiring Scam Funding North Korea

Enjoy this encore episode of Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks. North Korea has turned your hiring pipeline into a revenue machine. And most organizations have no idea. ⁠Evan Gordenker⁠, Director of AI Security and DPRK Operations at Unit 42, has led more than 160 investigations into sophisticated threat actors, including the North Korean IT worker networks quietly embedded inside global companies. He joins⁠ ⁠⁠David Moulton⁠ to unpack how this operation actually works, why common assumptions about remote work leave organizations exposed, and what security and HR teams can do to detect and disrupt it. You'll learn: - How DPRK operatives use deepfakes, fabricated identities, and real accomplice networks to pass interviews and land jobs at global companies - Why "we don't hire remote" is a dangerous assumption that no longer holds - What signals HR and SOC teams should look for, before and after someone is hired - How the threat has evolved from quiet wage theft to active extortion of former employers - What government collaboration and cross-border intelligence sharing can realistically accomplish Evan contributed to the UN Sanctions Monitoring Team report on North Korean operations and brings a rare combination of technical depth and geopolitical fluency to this problem. Having lived and worked across the US, EU, and Japan, he brings cultural context that matters when investigating a threat with global reach. His investigations have produced some of the most detailed profiles of DPRK operators in the security community. This episode is essential listening if you're: a security leader building out your insider threat program, an HR or talent acquisition leader who hasn't yet connected with your security team, or a threat intelligence analyst tracking how nation-state programs fund themselves. Related Episodes: - ⁠From Code to Compromise⁠ — Covers North Korean threat actors using fake job interviews to target developers via malicious IDE extensions. A strong companion to this episode's look at the broader IT worker scheme. -⁠Inside the Mind of State-Sponsored Cyberattackers⁠ — A deeper look at how nation-state operations are structured and why they're so hard to disrupt. #NationStateThreat #InsiderRisk About Threat Vector Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks is your premier podcast for security thought leadership. Join us as we explore pressing cybersecurity threats, robust protection strategies, and the latest industry trends. The podcast features in-depth discussions with industry leaders, Palo Alto Networks experts, and customers, providing crucial insights for security decision-makers. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of the curve with innovative solutions or understand the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Threat Vector equips you with the knowledge needed to safeguard your organization. Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks enables your team to prevent successful cyberattacks with an automated approach that delivers consistent security across the cloud, network, and mobile.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://paloaltonetworks.com.⁠

Encore: Hunting Threats in Developer Environments

Enjoy this encore episode of Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks. Cyber attackers are increasingly targeting the very tools developers trust—integrated development environments (IDEs), low-code platforms, and public code repositories. In this episode of Threat Vector, host ⁠David Moulton⁠ speaks with ⁠Daniel Frank⁠ and ⁠Tom Fakterman⁠ from Palo Alto Networks' threat research team. They uncover how nation-state actors and cybercriminals are using trusted development tools like Visual Studio Code to run malware, exfiltrate data, and stay undetected. Listeners will learn about real-world APT campaigns, why dev tools are high-value targets, and how organizations can secure their software supply chain without slowing down developers. Join the conversation on our social media channels: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threat Research:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LifeatPaloAltoNetworks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/unit42/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@paloaltonetworks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/PaloAltoNtwks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Threat Vector Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks is your premier podcast for security thought leadership. Join us as we explore pressing cybersecurity threats, robust protection strategies, and the latest industry trends. The podcast features in-depth discussions with industry leaders, Palo Alto Networks experts, and customers, providing crucial insights for security decision-makers. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of the curve with innovative solutions or understand the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Threat Vector equips you with the knowledge needed to safeguard your organization. Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks enables your team to prevent successful cyberattacks with an automated approach that delivers consistent security across the cloud, network, and mobile.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://paloaltonetworks.com⁠