It was a busy week in the cybers! Today we start with the targeted exploitation of another Fortinet vulnerability (CVE-2026-24858) that enables simple authentication bypass (1:15), then we discuss Google's disruption of a large residential proxy network called IPIDEA that has been abused by hundreds of threat actors (5:40), then we talk about the continued attacks on an older WinRAR bug by both cybercrime and APT groups (10:11). Finally, we shout out some of our favorite fellow creators in security community: the Three Buddy Problem podcast, John Hammond, and Matt Johansen. 

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This week, we talk about how Microsoft disrupted a long-running, large-scale cybercrime-as-a-service platform called RedVDS that has been active since 2019 and was used in high-volume phishing and BEC scams (1:00), then we discuss the research from Cisco Talos on another (!) Chinese APT called UAT-8837 that is targeting critical infrastructure organizations in North America (6:06), and finally there's the clever new StackWarp vulnerability in AMD processors that was disclosed this week (9:44).

RedVDS takedown

Cisco Talos report

StackWarp

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Jeremiah Grossman and Robert Hansen, two of the more influential and accomplished leaders and entrepreneurs in the cybersecurity community, have seen and done it all in their careers. From their roles as the driving forces behind pioneering web appsec firm WhiteHat Security to building out enterprise security programs to breaking large portions of the web (on purpose), Jeremiah and Robert have unique viewpoints on what works and what doesn't. Now, they're building something new, Root Evidence, a vulnerability management platform backed by data from actual breaches and designed to help security teams prioritize fixing the bugs that actually matter.

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The new year is here! And so are the attacks. The first full week of 2026 brought us new research from Cisco Talos on a China-nexus APT group called UAT-7290 that is expanding its targeting and serving as an initial access group as well as a cyber espionage team (3:02). There is also some great data from GreyNoise on the attack volume from actors trying to exploit the React2Shell vulnerability from December (8:26). The volume is holding steady at more than 300,000 sessions per day, which is...high.

Talos report: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/uat-7290/

GreyNoise report: https://www.greynoise.io/blog/cve-2025-55182-react2shell-opportunistic-exploitation-in-the-wild-what-the-greynoise-observation-grid-is-seeing-so-far

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There may not be any computers in Home Alone, but few movie characters embody the old-school hacker ethos like Kevin McCallister does. Resourceful, clever, determined, and creative, Kevin uses all of the tools and talents at his disposal to repel a pair of relentless adversaries. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!

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As we ease into the holidays, the security news doesn't stop coming. This week we discuss the research from AWS threat intelligence on Russian adversaries targeting a variety of network edge devices for opportunistic exploitation, then we break down attacks by a Chinese threat actor that target a new zero day in Cisco's AsyncOS, and finally we discuss the continued exploitation of the React2Shell vulnerability. 

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Pete Baker and Zoe Lindsey join Dennis Fisher on the roof of Nakatomi Plaza to discuss one of the great action classics* and a beloved movie in the hacker community: Die Hard. Yippee ki-yay! 

*NOT a Christmas movie

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This week gave us the gift of some more React Server Components vulnerabilities  and further exploitation of the previously disclosed bugs by a variety of threat groups. There were also a long list of vulnerabilities disclosed by Microsoft, Adobe, and others, which we discuss in the context of how difficult vulnerability management is right now. Finally, we discuss CISA's warning about continued Russian targeting of US critical infrastructure.

GreyNoise report: https://info.greynoise.io/hubfs/At-The-Edge/Weekly-Intelligence-Brief-120825.pdf?_ga=2.212724369.466870115.1765553789-1325891860.1765553788

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Coming from a military family, Erin Whitmore was prepared for a career of service. But her path took her not into the military, but the intelligence community, first in the private sector supporting the DIA and NGA, and later as a cybersecurty program manager in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She eventually joined CIA as an operations officer and served in locations around the world before moving back to the private sector where she now focuses on executive risk and strategic intelligence at CYPFER. Erin joins Dennis Fisher to talk about her unique path and how it's prepared her for today's threats and the nascent AI revolution.

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Dennis and Lindsey react (!) to the React2Shell vulnerability disclosure and the quick exploitation of it by Chinese threat actors, then discuss the continues intrusions into critical infrastructure by the Salt Typhoon actors and this week's congressional hearing on telecom network security. Finally, we talk about some upcoming hacker movie episodes, including Die Hard and maybe Home Alone!

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Jeff Gothelf, a renowned author and product strategist and co-founder of Sense and Respond Learning, joins Dennis to discuss the need to design products with users in mind, how critical thinking can help teams succeed, and what the AI revolution means for security teams and other groups.

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