Cyber Uncut

Cyber Uncut

By: Momentum Media

Language: en

Categories: Government, Business

Cyber Uncut brings you the key decision makers and cutting edge innovators shaping Australia's cyber revolution. From cyber security to artificial intelligence and information systems, discover how businesses and government are navigating the transition to a digital future. Join Momentum Media's Phil Tarrant, defence and national security podcaster, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson AM – former head of the ADF's Information Warfare Division, and Liam Garman, editor of Cyber Daily, as they dive head first into the latest breaking news shaping our interconnected world. Get in touch, get your questions answered by our experts or share your stories. Contact cyber@mo...

Episodes

Grok's sexual abuse, Qantas' AI shift, and Trump's cyber warfare?
Jan 08, 2026

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and Bethany Alvaro are joined by Australian Aviation's Jake Nelson to discuss AI, before talking about local hacks, NSW Health, and Trump alluding to the use of cyber warfare in Venezuela.

Croft, Alvaro, and Nelson first discuss Qantas and its shift towards AI implementation in 2026.

The trio then discuss Grok and the dangers of the new "edit image" button that has led to the creation of deepfake child sexual abuse material.

Croft and Alvaro then discuss the Australian band Royel Otis and a...

Duration: 00:35:01
CONTESTED GROUND: Venezuela, Russia, China, Iran and America's resurgence
Jan 08, 2026

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, co-host Steve Kuper and returning co-host Liam Garman unpack the fallout of the American special forces raid in Venezuela.

The pair also discuss the broader global ramifications emerging as a result of the American direct action in Latin America, including: 

The real motivations behind America's raid and why simple claims of regime change or pursuit of oil may not be as clear-cut as some would have us believe. Ongoing concerns about security and stability in the Middle East following revelations of significant strategic military deployments from the US t...

Duration: 00:39:34
Bondi shooting misinformation, ShinyHunters returns, and how to stay cyber safe while travelling
Dec 18, 2025

This week, for the last Cyber Uncut of 2025, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about Grok's spreading of misinformation regarding the tragic Bondi terror attack, OpenAI's admission of "high cyber risk", the re-emergence of ShinyHunters with a string of possible extortion attempts, ransomware attacks on medical centres, and important tips for using public Wi-Fi over the holidays.

The pair kick things off with reports of how Grok utterly failed to deliver accurate information regarding the 14 December shootings targeting the Jewish community in Sydney. The chatbot utterly failed to meet the moment, leading to multiple instances of incorrect...

Duration: 00:45:49
CONTESTED GROUND: The nexus of national security, social cohesion and grey-zone warfare
Dec 16, 2025

In this solemn episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Steve Kuper discuss the immediate aftermath of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

The trio discuss the terrorist shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, Sydney, which resulted in at least 15 deaths and over 40 injuries. They also tackle the implications of the targeted anti-Semitic attack on Australia's intelligence and law enforcement community.

The conversation then shifts to the beginning of the broader national conversations that will now be taking place in Canberra and capital cities around...

Duration: 00:14:35
The Pentagon's new AI platform, SafePay ransomware scores a hat-trick, and social media ban
Dec 12, 2025

This episode discusses the US Department of War's AI "Manifest Destiny", hackers going hard on Aussie victims, and Australia bringing in its brand new social media ban.

Hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft kick things off with artificial intelligence, with CommBank trialling a new DevOps agent and the Pentagon launching its new GenAI.mil platform to "dominate" its adversaries.

The pair move on to cyber crime, and the SafePay ransomware gang strikes at three Australian victims in a single week.

Hollingworth and Croft also discuss the social media ban, which came into effect...

Duration: 00:34:47
CONTESTED GROUND: Australia's strategic crossroads and aspects of national resilience
Dec 10, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by special guest Dr Ross Babbage, chief executive officer of Strategic Forum and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington DC.

Together, the trio dive into Australia's rapidly shifting strategic landscape, the pressures shaping the US–Australia relationship, and the risks emerging across the Indo-Pacific as 2026 approaches.

The team also tackles the return of a Trump administration in the US government amid rising uncertainty surrounding the People's Republic of Ch...

Duration: 00:46:45
The National AI Plan, social media ban worries, and Aussie retailer Oxford hacked – plus e-sports!
Dec 05, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro talk about the week's cyber security and AI news!

Hollingworth and Alvaro get things started by unpacking the Australian government's National AI Plan. Is it actually good governance, or more of a vibe ripe to be abused by the AI giants?

The pair then talk about the eSafety Commissioner's warning that smart car systems are being taken advantage of by domestic abusers, and concern over the impact of the looming social media ban might have on queer youth, before looking at a...

Duration: 00:37:53
Holiday scams, pollies warned ahead of Chinese visit, and Russian hackers sanctioned
Nov 28, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro talk about the week's cyber security and AI news!

Hollingworth and Alvaro get things started with a warning about a rise in AI-driven holiday scams taking advantage of the silly season. The pair also talk about a recent call from CPA Australia for young Australians to embrace AI to drive their entrepreneurial dreams.

And then it's on to cyber security, with parliamentarians in Canberra warned to secure their connected devices ahead of a visit by a Chinese official, and worrying research on...

Duration: 00:30:16
CONTESTED GROUND: Peace in sight but questions remain about future of Russia–Ukraine conflict
Nov 26, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and new co-host, Steve Kuper, detail the intricacies of the proposed Russia–Ukraine peace deal announced by US President Donald Trump.

The trio also unpack three emerging security issues: a proposed Russia–Ukraine peace deal, heightened Chinese activity in the northern Pacific, and suspected Russian sabotage operations in Europe.

The peace proposal centres on a 30-day ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and Ukraine conceding or freezing control of occupied territories. Ukraine would permanently renounce NATO membership, cap its military at arou...

Duration: 00:29:30
NVIDIA's earnings up, Black Friday scams, a new ransomware group emerges, Russian hacking sanctions
Nov 21, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth is joined by Bethany Alvaro to talk about all things Australia and cyber security!

The pair kick things off with some AI news. NVIDIA announced record earnings as the AI bubble steadfastly refuses to burst, and ChatGPT's curious new group chat feature.

Hollingworth and Alvaro then talk about cyber crime, with scammers gleefully preparing to take advantage of Black Friday sales, Optus getting pinged over falling afoul of anti-scam legislation, and the Brotherhood ransomware group claiming two Aussie hacks in just one day.

...

Duration: 00:38:27
CONTESTED GROUND: Hacktivists target ADF program, China counters Australia in the Pacific
Nov 17, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Liam Garman, and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack two unfolding challenges shaping Australia's strategic outlook, an Iran-linked cyber breach exposing sensitive defence data, and China's latest move to outmanoeuvre Canberra in the Pacific.

The discussion opens with the major cyber breach linked to Iran-aligned actors, exposing sensitive information from Australian defence programs through vulnerabilities in overseas contractors. Thompson warns that modern military platforms are now fully digital extensions of the network, and that the Australian Defence Force risks becoming collateral damage without stronger supply-chain...

Duration: 00:35:01
Proofpoint's Ryan Kalember and Adrian Covich on CISO trends and dealing with growing cyber threats
Nov 14, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth catches up with Proofpoint's chief strategy officer, Ryan Kalember, and vice president of systems engineering for the APJ region, Adrian Covich, while attending the Proofpoint Protect Tour in Melbourne.

The three talk about the high-level trends and concerns they're seeing from CISOs both in Australia and abroad and the very real challenges of dealing with a fast-paced and ever-evolving threat landscape.

Enjoy the episode,
The Cyber Uncut team

Duration: 00:31:08
Lumify Work's Louis Cremen talks about AI risks and opportunities, staff training, and how to protect data
Nov 07, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Lumify Work's lead cyber security instructor, Louis Cremen, for a talk about all things AI, from how best to protect sensitive data to managing AI governance.

The pair start things off with a discussion about how AI is rapidly transforming workplaces and how organisations must prioritise governance to protect data integrity and output decisions. 

Cremen and Garman follow that up with a look at how attackers are leveraging AI to create highly personalised phishing, multilingual scams, convincing deepfakes and AI-assisted malware. 

...

Duration: 00:43:11
OpenAI and mental health, government agencies caught up in hack, and a copyright win for Aussie musos
Oct 31, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth talk about the latest AI news, the week in cyber crime, Tasmanian government breach woes, and Australia signing an important UN cyber crime treaty.

The pair kick things off with some AI news, including OpenAI opening up about how many of its users talk about their mental health challenges with the bot, and the company's latest move to create AI music.

Hollingworth and Croft then move on to cyber crime in Australia. A breach linked to vocational student management platform VETtrak has...

Duration: 00:47:29
Wikipedia's AI woes, Tassie NFP hit by ransomware, and Bryan Cranston strikes back
Oct 24, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth talk about the latest AI news, the week in cyber crime, an important Aussie merger, and how a Hollywood actor is reclaiming his identity.

The pair kick things off with some AI news, including Wikipedia woes, OpenAI's Atlas, and Yelp's new AI travel offering.

Hollingworth and Croft then move on to the latest in cyber crime on Australian shores, but not before exploring the merger of AUCyber and 5G Networks. Hollingworth also has an update on the Collins Aerospace hack, with the...

Duration: 00:44:40
CONTESTED GROUND: From PNG to Gaza – what's defining Australia's security future
Oct 21, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Liam Garman, and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how shifting defence alliances and Middle Eastern instability are reshaping national security.

The conversation opens with Australia's growing regional partnerships, including the Australia–Singapore cooperation agreement and the new defence pact with Papua New Guinea, and how they strengthen deterrence amid China's rising Pacific influence.

Thompson highlights the strategic value of Singapore's training operations in Shoalwater Bay and the expansion of joint science, technology, and logistics programs to bolster regional readiness.

The ho...

Duration: 00:29:05
CBA's AI woes, the Qantas leak, and a chat with SolarWinds
Oct 17, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI and how state governments are regulating its use, the Qantas leak and the 5 million people impacted, and we chat about major cyber attacks with SolarWinds CISO Tim Brown.

Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing the fight that CBA has ignited with the Finance Sector Union and former staff after they botched an AI rollout. The pair then discuss the massive Qantas hack, the 5 million people affected and the identity of the hackers behind it. The podcast then cuts to...

Duration: 00:53:56
CONTESTED GROUND: The information and financial risks to national unity
Oct 13, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Liam Garman, and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how Australia's shifting information and economic environment is deepening social rifts and reshaping national security.

Tarrant opens with the housing debate, questioning whether allowing buyers into the market with just a 5 per cent deposit strengthens opportunity or fuels instability. Garman warns that financial strain on younger Australians could erode national unity.

The conversation turns to data sovereignty and AI infrastructure, and how Australia must strengthen data protection and build infrastructure capable of expanding a...

Duration: 00:28:33
Aussie fined over deepfakes, Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters goes wild, and Asahi hacker revealed
Oct 10, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth walk through the latest in AI news, with Deloitte paying money back to the NSW government for an AI report, hacking news, with a deep dive into just who Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters might be, and the Qilin ransomware gang taking responsibility for the Asahi hack.

Croft and Hollingworth begin by talking about AI hallucinations stinging Deloitte, flood victims getting caught up in a ChatGPT data breach, and a first-of-its-kind fine levied against an Australian creator of deepfake pornography.

The two then cover...

Duration: 00:47:03
Accenture cuts staff for AI, Asahi's cyber attack, and GoAnywhere's latest vulnerability
Oct 03, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI and how companies are prioritising it over staff, a brutal new ransomware operation publishing the data of young children, and the Department of Home Affairs looking to fill the new Cyber Incident Review Board.

Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing the latest educational AI at the University of New England. The pair then discuss the threat to their favourite podcast beer, Asahi, which has halted production in Japan following a cyber attack. Croft and Hollingworth then discuss the ongoing...

Duration: 00:44:30
NSW schools to get AI tool, AI Charlie Kirk, EU airports hacked and charities get a cyber helping hand
Sep 26, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth talk about NSWEduChat, a virtual Charlie Kirk, the impact of a cyber incident disrupting airports across Europe, and how Australian not-for-profits are getting a new tool to face a rising tide of ransomware attacks.

Croft and Hollingworth open proceedings with Instagram's new AI age assurance checks then talk about the new AI tool being rolled out to NSW public school students and how promising it looks. The pair also discuss the ramifications of creating a deepfake of Charlie Kirk to address packed crowds at US...

Duration: 00:45:49
SA launches EdChat, a new 'sophisticated' ransomware gang, and Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters finished?
Sep 19, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI and its incorporation in Australian education, the latest from ransomware operators targeting Australian organisations, and the alleged retirement of Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters.

Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing UNSW and its partnership with OpenAI, which will see 10,000 licenses rolled out to students. The pair then discuss new and older ransomware gangs, with a new sophisticated ransomware operation called The Gentlemen coming out of the gates strong, while Kairos continues to harm Australian businesses. Croft and Hollingworth then discuss the...

Duration: 00:49:48
CONTESTED GROUND: Andrew Hastie on espionage, resilience, and the new front lines of national security
Sep 15, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by the Honourable Andrew Hastie MP, shadow minister for home affairs, for a hard-hitting discussion on the shifting nature of Australia's national security challenges.

No longer confined to conventional defence or counter-terrorism, the security debate now spans economic sovereignty, industrial security, and social cohesion. Against the backdrop of recent revelations of Iranian espionage attempts on Australian soil, Hastie warns that hostile foreign actors are probing Australia's vulnerabilities, not only in cyber space and critical infrastructure, but in the trust that underpins our diverse society.<...

Duration: 00:24:47
AI's impact on Aussie kids, ransomware attacks in Australia rise, and Warner Bros sues Midjourney
Sep 12, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI news, concerning developments in the world of cyber crime, and recommendations by the Law Council of Australia regarding the next phase of the nation's Cyber Security Strategy.

Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing eSafety and changes made to the Online Safety Act to ensure that young children are less vulnerable to the dangers of sexually explicit and other AI chatbots. The pair then discuss the dramatic increase in ransomware attacks worldwide and in Australia, as well as the Australian...

Duration: 00:44:36
CONTESTED GROUND: When information becomes the battlefield
Sep 08, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the escalating role of information warfare in today's conflicts.

From the mobile phone's transformation into a weapon to the blurred lines between propaganda and "information operations", the team dissects how truth itself has become contested ground.

The conversation explores the challenges of navigating a "post-truth" world dominated by political tribalism, misinformation, and the weaponisation of narratives. The hosts reflect on conflicts such as Gaza, where competing lobbies and real-time social media footage shape global perceptions.<...

Duration: 00:37:59
'Nudify' app ban, hacker threatens artists with AI punishment, and fake ID marketplace takedown
Sep 05, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss the latest AI news, some worrying trends in cyber crime, and this year's largest supply chain hack, impacting hundreds of companies worldwide.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off by looking at the NSW government embracing AI and the federal government's timely move to ban deepfake "nudify" apps that are being used to bully and harrass.

The pair then catch up with the latest cyber crime news, from the wide-ranging Salesloft Drift hacks that have impacted companies like Zscaler and Palo Alto...

Duration: 00:35:09
OpenAI under fire, WSU cyber attack update, and letters of marque for hackers
Aug 29, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss a pair of lawsuits targeting ChatGPT's maker, cyber crime news, and one US politician's novel solution to combat hackers.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off by addressing a pair of lawsuits targeting OpenAI and the tragic case of a teenager who was allegedly aided in their suicide by ChatGPT's advice.

The pair then catch up with the latest news: from a string of cyber attacks that targeted Western Sydney University to Google's warning of increased Iranian cyber attacks and a round-up...

Duration: 00:42:53
CommBank rolls out AI anti-scam measures, iiNet hacked, and AI-powered toys for your kids
Aug 22, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss CommBank's use of AI to stop scams, local hacks and international cyber news, creepy AI toys for kids, and the alarming fact that what we know about ransomware attacks is just the tip of the iceberg.

Hollingworth and Croft begin the podcast with two Commonwealth Bank stories: CBA rolling back its job cuts after AI chatbots fail to keep up with customer demand, and the bank's novel use of AI to stymie scammers. The pair move on to a story with some incredible twists...

Duration: 00:41:23
CONTESTED GROUND: From housing to subs – the economics behind military power
Aug 18, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman dissect the forces shaping Australia's national security in an increasingly volatile world.

From the shortage of tradespeople to the sustainability of the nuclear submarine program, the team explores how domestic economic realities – including the property market – intersect with defence capability. 

The conversation turns to the AUKUS arrangement, as Thompson questions whether Australia's defence budget can support the ambitions of the trilateral pact with the United States and the United Kingdom. The hosts unpack the risks of over...

Duration: 00:32:07
AI and copyright in Australia, ShinyHunters and Scattered Spider merge, and the worst hacking in cinema
Aug 15, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft continue to talk about demands that Australia loosen copyright laws protecting Aussie artists, discover a dangerous new hacking super group, and laugh at how hacking is presented in the latest adaptation of War of the Worlds.

Hollingworth and Croft open up proceedings with more views on the Australian Productivity Commission's suggestion that AI companies should have full access to the sum total of Australian artistic output. Both Peter Garrett and Tony Burke are against it, but there are still some Aussie executives who feel it's...

Duration: 00:43:12
CONTESTED GROUND: Inside the information battlespace – how the creative industry supports national security
Aug 11, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant are joined by Simon Bergman, CEO of M+C Saatchi World Services, to unpack the evolving landscape of grey zone warfare and the role of creative industries in modern conflict.

Drawing on decades of operational and commercial experience, Bergman explores how advertising expertise is being harnessed to support government information operations: crafting narratives, influencing audiences, and shaping perceptions in the contested information environment.

Thompson and Bergman discuss the cultural and operational divide between government and industry, and how...

Duration: 00:48:41
Productivity Commission goes pro-AI, ShinyHunters continues Salesforce hacking spree, and a new ransomware operator emerges
Aug 08, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss the future of AI and copyright in Australia, ShinyHunters and their relationship to the Scattered Spider hacking collective, and a new ransomware operator targeting small businesses in the ANZ region.

Hollingworth and Croft kick open things up with a discussion on the Australian Productivity Commission's suggestion that AI regulations in Australia should be eased, an idea that the pair are not impressed by. After a short chat on the latest developments with Elon Musk's Grok AI, Hollingworth and Croft discuss the latest wave of...

Duration: 00:43:12
CONTESTED GROUND: Regional flashpoints and economic headwinds – Australia's strategic dilemma
Aug 04, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack the Cambodia–Thai military confrontation and Australia's economic landscape. 

Tarrant and Thompson begin the podcast reflecting on Exercise Talisman Sabre, highlighting how the biennial drills continue to grow in scale and strategic significance with the involvement of multiple partner nations, the live-fire deployment of HIMARS systems, and the strengthening of interoperability between allied forces.

The conversation then turns to rising regional tensions, specifically, the flare-up on the Cambodia–Thailand border. Garman explores the historical context behind th...

Duration: 00:41:45
Atlassian layoffs, Qantas hackers revealed, and hacking on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine
Aug 01, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss the Commonwealth Bank and Atlassian laying off staff to make way for AI, new developments in the Qantas hack, and Ukrainian hackers targeting Aeroflot.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with some worrying AI news: one of Australia's largest banks and Atlassian announce staff layoffs as the two companies invest in artificial intelligence. Is AI finally coming for our jobs? The pair then move on to local news, with the possibility that the Qantas hacker has now been identified – and it might not be th...

Duration: 00:40:06
Trump and AI, Qantas hacker comms, and Aussie political party hacked
Jul 25, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss Donald Trump's use and support of AI, the Genea fertility and Qantas hacks, and the United Australia Party hanging its members out to dry in the wake of a data breach.

The pair open up with news of Trump's posting of an AI rendition of Barack Obama being arrested in the Oval Office, and his suggestion that AI developers shouldn't have to worry about copyright when building their AI models. Hollingworth and Croft then move on to local news, with Genea going through the...

Duration: 00:42:05
TomorrowX's disruptive approach to legacy system protection
Jul 22, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman, editor of Cyber Daily, is joined by Kostas Siourthas, founder and CEO of TomorrowX; Rob Parker, partner at Deloitte; and cyber security leader Dr Marcus Thompson for an in-depth discussion on the future of data protection and innovation in the digital age.

The episode was recorded at Deloitte's Sydney headquarters, where the panel explored how TomorrowX is reimagining cyber security by focusing on the movement and protection of data – rather than traditional infrastructure or application-centric models.

Siourthas unpacked how Tomorrow X's data-centric platform enables organisations to...

Duration: 00:25:00
CONTESTED GROUND: How Australia is walking the China and United States relations tightrope
Jul 21, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the latest news and events contributing to national security in Australia.

They begin the podcast discussing Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, including how important these kinds of joint military training activities are for the interoperability between Western nations and the certainty of covert surveillance being carried out by adversaries.

The pair then discuss the recent visit to the People's Republic of China by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the geopolitical tightrope he must be walking between trading...

Duration: 00:40:34
CONTESTED GROUND: AUKUS, Middle East tensions, and Australia's strategic future
Jul 14, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore Australia's readiness to meet its military needs and examine the country's role amid a rapidly changing global landscape.

They kick things off with a discussion on Commonwealth funding, before exploring the AUKUS agreement and whether its long-term success is at risk, especially in the context of political volatility in the US.

Turning their attention to the Middle East, they unpack recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Israel's evolving strategy, and what it all means for Western...

Duration: 00:25:38
Protecht's Mike Franklin on the importance of creating a strong company cyber security culture and prioritising critical assets
Jul 14, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Mike Franklin, Australian cyber security lead at Protecht, to discuss the current cyber security landscape, the importance of top-down cyber security culture, and the impact of AI on cyber security.

Garman and Franklin begin with a discussion on the current cyber security landscape, such as the importance of risk management and the evolving techniques used by malicious actors. The pair also discuss the importance of differentiating IT risk, such as product availability and other operational issues, and cyber risk. Franklin then highlights the importance...

Duration: 00:52:15
Qantas hacked, AI to power the Australian economy, and women's health clinic hacked
Jul 04, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are joined by Australian Aviation's Jake Nelson to talk about the Qantas data breach before our usual suspects talk up the latest AI news, followed by some alarming local hacks.

AI is the topic for Hollingworth and Croft as the pair start with a chat about News Corp's new drive to integrate AI into journalists' workflows and the media giant's decision to train AI on the content produced by its writers. Plus, US Senator Bernie Sanders has a fantastic idea about what to do with...

Duration: 00:39:57
News Corp's AI push, hackers arrested at home and abroad, and War Thunder does it again
Jun 27, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about good and bad AI use cases, dramatic hacker arrests in Australia and France, printer vulnerabilities, and why War Thunder is a national security risk.

AI is the topic for Hollingworth and Croft as the pair start with a chat about News Corp's new drive to integrate AI into journalists' workflows and the media giant's decision to train AI on the content produced by its writers. Plus, US Senator Bernie Sanders has a fantastic idea about what to do with all the time saved...

Duration: 00:49:30
OpenAI's big defence contract, Israel and Iran square off in cyber space, AI chatbots in the ER
Jun 20, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss military AI, cyber warfare in the Middle East, the week in cyber security, and why the Pope is coming out swinging against AI.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with AI news, including AI tech bros earning a military commission in the efforts to build battlefield AI and creators in the UK being told their art can, in fact, be used to train AI models. The pair then discuss the uptick in cyber activity due to the current conflict between Israel and Iran, as...

Duration: 00:37:38
Hacker furries, Global ransomware targets Aussie healthcare organisations, and cyber security for farmers
Jun 13, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about furry hacking collectives, a spree of ransomware attacks targeting Australian healthcare organisations, and good news for farmers.

Hollingworth and Croft start their chat by catching up on a defacement campaign targeting a website administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services. AI-generated images of furries suddenly appeared overnight on the site, with the identity of the hackers – and whether or not they're furries themselves – currently unknown. The pair then get more serious as they discuss the rapid rise of a new rans...

Duration: 00:33:04
Military artificial intelligence, Ukraine hacks Russia, local hacks surge, and the name game
Jun 06, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are joined by special guest Robert Dougherty of Defence Connect to talk about a Ukrainian hacking operation, ransomware attacks on Australian companies surge after a quiet spot, and a popular hacking forum returns.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with Dougherty as they discuss an offer from Ukraine to assist the Australian Defence Force with integrating AI into combat operations, the uses of AI on the battlefield, and a daring Ukrainian cyber operation that targeted one of Russia's most important builders of military aircraft. Cyber...

Duration: 00:39:43
CONTESTED GROUND: Australian sentenced to 13 years in Russia, Australia and EU discuss defence pact
Jun 02, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the latest from Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in India-Pakistan, and how diaspora groups are expanding conflict beyond country borders.

They begin the podcast discussing Australian schoolteacher Oscar Jenkins, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison by Russia. The trio then discuss the India-Pakistan conflict, and how it has drawn in regional powers and diaspora groups.  They wrap up unpacking a European-Australian defence pact, and whether it will be sufficient to support Australian stability in the Indo-Pacific. Duration: 00:34:02
Meta's new AI, a bad week for legal entities in Australia, and mandatory ransomware reporting
May 30, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about Meta moving to use user data to train its AI, cyber attacks on local legal firms and boards, and new regulations requiring mandatory reporting of ransomware payments.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with the news that a German data watchdog has been unable to stop Meta from using user data to train its new AI model. As they say, if the product is free, the product is you – and your Facebook posts. The pair then discuss the latest cyber attacks targeting Australian or...

Duration: 00:33:14
CyberArk's Thomas Fikentscher on why cyber security should not be an afterthought
May 26, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Thomas Fikentscher, CyberArk's head of ANZ operations, to explore the company's international business, cyber security trends, the importance of privileged access, and the importance of taking cyber security seriously.

Garman and Fikentscher begin with a discussion on CyberArk's international operations and recent trends regarding how businesses are looking at their networks and what's essential to keep their operations running smoothly. The pair then discuss the importance of understanding and implementing privileged access to data and how that can keep critical infrastructure secure. Fikentscher talks...

Duration: 00:33:28
AI to solve housing troubles, ATO denies security issues, and our favourite data breach tool
May 23, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft have a chat about everything, from the NSW government's new drive to use AI to solve the housing crisis to deepfake takedowns, who may or may not be behind the hacking campaign targeting big-name UK retailers (still!), security issues at the Australian Taxation Office, and the relaunch of HaveIBeenPwned.

Hollingworth and Croft start off with positive AI-related news, starting with the Trump administration's decision to enact new laws regarding deepfake and revenge porn, before swivelling to the NSW state government's plan to use AI to...

Duration: 00:29:20
CCTVs, the cloud, and crime – Genetec's formula for safer streets, with Lee Shelford
May 19, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Lee Shelford, sales engineering manager and cloud lead at Genetec, to explore how the company uses cutting-edge technology to help law enforcement agencies combat crime and build safer communities.

The conversation begins with Genetec's recent success in completing its IRAP assessment – a critical milestone in demonstrating the company's commitment to cyber security and data protection. From there, Shelford shares how Genetec is working alongside some of the world's leading law enforcement organisations to develop next-generation security solutions. Shelford dives into Genetec Cloudrunner, a powerful to...

Duration: 00:33:25
Deepfakes in the courtroom, DragonForce makes a major ransomware play, and the CIA tries to recruit Chinese spies
May 16, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft get into a deep ethical discussion after an AI-generated deepfake of a murder victim, untangle the deeply confusing saga of the DragonForce ransomware gang's latest evolution, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) breaches itself, and the insane back and forth between the People's Republic of China and the CIA.

Hollingworth and Croft begin with a robust discussion about a new AI development – using the technology to generate a deepfake video of a murder victim to be played in a US court as a victim impact st...

Duration: 00:42:59
CONTESTED GROUND: A sit down with Tim Knight, author of Gallipoli Soup
May 12, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Tim Knight, author of the recently released book Gallipoli Soup, to discuss the Gallipoli campaign and how Knight used narrative to bring to life the challenges faced by both Australian and Turkish soldiers in World War I.

The pair begin the podcast unpacking Knight's research methodology, and how a passion for understanding led him to write Gallipoli Soup. They discuss how the book was written in a narrative format, with some fictional characters based heavily on memoirs and diary entries from soldiers, to shine...

Duration: 00:43:14
Meta fuels its new AI with Facebook content, UK retailers suffer ransomware spree, and LockBit gets hacked
May 09, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss Meta's newly launched AI that will be powered by Facebook, DeepSeek is back in the news, a horror week of hacks for some massive UK retail chains, LockBit, and the wonderful day and night that was last week's Australian Cyber Summit and Australian Cyber Awards.

Hollingworth and Croft begin by talking about the latest in artificial intelligence news, with Meta announcing it will be building its next AI based upon information shared on the social network by its users, and China's revelations that it...

Duration: 00:34:02
How to identify the cyber skills your team really needs, with Lumify's Louis Cremen and Jeremy Daly
May 02, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Lumify lead cyber security instructor Louis Cremen and cyber security lead Jeremy Daly. Together, they unpack the essential cyber security skill sets different organisations need – and how businesses can ensure their teams stay ahead of evolving threats.

The discussion kicks off with the value of cyber security training and the most in-demand skills among Australian organisations. Cremen and Daly then explore the ongoing debate between certifications versus hands-on experience – and how to strike the right balance." The episode wraps up by questioning whether businesses are...

Duration: 00:45:29
CONTESTED GROUND: Cyber war, global politics and the power of truth: Unpacking conflict in the Information Age
Apr 28, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman discuss the application of cyber and information in the modern threat environment, and how the White House is changing voting behaviours across the West.

They begin the podcast by unpacking Thomas Rid's Cyber War Will Not Take Place, discussing the intricacies of cyber operations and how cyber continues to adhere to the Clausewitzian principles describing the political and physical dimensions of conflict.

The conversation then moves across the cyber spectrum to information operations and how...

Duration: 00:31:28
Government backdoors into the world's social media giants and setting ethical standards online
Apr 25, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and Liam Garman sit down to unpack whether the federal government's social media age restrictions really address the risks young Australians face online and how governments are looking to create backdoors into social media and tech giants.

They begin the podcast by discussing Meta's AI-enabled age verification on Instagram and whether it will actually keep children safe online – before examining alternative social media use cases and the risks they pose for young Aussies. Croft and Garman then discuss the recent cyber incident against UK retail giant M&S an...

Duration: 00:24:41
CONTESTED GROUND: How to develop a culture of security in your business
Apr 21, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson discuss how businesses can build a culture of security in the modern work environment, protecting critical business IP.  They begin the podcast with a short book review of Stephen Gapps' Uprising: War in the colony of New South Wales, unpacking conflict in colonial Australia – and in particular, the Second Wiradyuri War of Resistance. The conversation turns to information security and the regulation and legislation that guides the storing of personal data by businesses. The hosts then unpack how businesses can develop a culture of sec...

Duration: 00:26:47
Chris Krebs quits SentinelOne, 4chan hacked and breached, and how we almost lost the CVE Program
Apr 17, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about Chris Krebs' extraordinary decision to step down from SentinelOne in order to fight the Trump administration, an array of hacks both global and local, and the importance of funding the essential CVE Program. And China has made fascinating claims about US activity against the Asian Winter Games earlier this year.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with Chris Krebs, who announced his resignation from SentinelOne this week following the signing of an executive order revoking his security clearance. He doesn't want to distract...

Duration: 00:37:10
Western Sydney University and superannuation hacks, Aussie election fears, and Trump takes aim at ex-CISA chief
Apr 11, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft chat about emissions, credential stuffing attacks targeting Australian super funds, a ransomware attack on a luxury Sydney hotel, and more Donald Trump chaos.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with some interesting research that estimates the carbon costs of various AI platforms, with Grok AI coming out on top as the least environmentally punishing chatbot, while ChatGPT generates more than four grams of carbon per prompt.

The pair then move on to an alarming week of cyber incidents impacting Australian organisations, from...

Duration: 00:38:58
CONTESTED GROUND: Heroism, warfare and Australia's future – WWII reflections and election insights
Apr 07, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant discuss the heroic actions of Australian soldiers in World War II, before turning to the big issues in the upcoming federal election.

The pair begin the podcast discussing Joan Beaumont's book, Gull Force, and the treatment of Australian prisoners of war on the islands of Ambon and Hainan. They then discuss the role of Australia's Reserves in warfare, before unpacking the fundamental importance of seizing and holding ground in warfare. Thompson and Tarrant then turn to the upcoming federal election...

Duration: 00:30:29
13cabs cyber incident, more Trump administration security issues, and Luke Dembosky and Brenton Steenkamp on executive risk
Apr 04, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss local hacks and the rise of a whole new ransomware evolution. Clayton Utz's Brenton Steenkamp and Debevoise & Plimpton's Luke Dembosky also join in to talk about executive risk and governance.

Hollingworth and Croft kick things off with a discussion of a fascinating example of data exposure involving a major Australian taxi company and catch up on the local threat landscape. The pair then talk about the continuing fallout of a very unserious Trump administration and how one of the most important officials serving the...

Duration: 01:02:44
Facebook bans, unsecured web servers, and THAT Signal chat
Mar 28, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host David Hollingworth and journalist Daniel Croft talk about Apple backdoors, Facebook bans, the disastrous Signal chat that exposed the highest levels of the Trump administration as less than security-minded and how we report on exposed databases.

Hollingworth and Croft get the ball rolling with a news wrap-up focusing on malware posing as Chinese chatbot DeepSeek, Papua New Guinea's new trial Facebook ban, and behind-closed-door deliberations on the UK's efforts to get a backdoor into Apple devices. After a short break, the pair get to the biggest story of the...

Duration: 00:39:44
Nation-state cyber threats – how Australian organisations must prepare, with Rapid7's Raj Samani
Mar 21, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Raj Samani, senior vice president and chief scientist at Rapid7, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how nation-state threats are actively targeting Australian organisations - and how we can proactively prepare for future attacks.

They begin the podcast by looking at those groups that are most actively targeting Australian organisations and how their strategies are different from traditional cyber crime. Samani then unpacks some of the most common mistakes he sees from Australian organisations that are leaving them vulnerable to ransomware, before diving into the operating models of these threat...

Duration: 00:47:06
Helping executives understand company cyber security, with 4walls' Nik Devidas
Mar 14, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, 4walls founder and managing director Nik Devidas sat down with host Liam Garman to discuss the technological knowledge gap between company boards and strong cyber security and how 4walls is closing it.

The podcast starts by outlining how boards can be overwhelmed with technical language and information when dealing with cyber security. The pair then discuss the concept of maintaining and updating an understanding of cyber security to keep up with an ever-evolving landscape. Speaking of a changing landscape, Devidas and Garman finish up by weighing up the impact of...

Duration: 00:40:44
Ransomware trends, AI and the fight against cyber crime, with Sophos' Aaron Bugal
Mar 07, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Aaron Bugal, field chief technology officer at Sophos, sits down with host Liam Garman to talk about the fight against ransomware, the growing threat to Australian businesses, and what can be done to tackle the problem.

The podcast opens with a discussion of ransomware trends and how cyber criminals choose their targets based on vulnerability and opportunity. Bugal then expands on how AI is a tool both for malicious actors and cyber defenders and explains how Sophos is deploying AI to help businesses better protect themselves from an array of...

Duration: 00:42:25
CONTESTED GROUND: Alliance abandonment and realpolitik in global affairs
Mar 06, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack the risk of alliance abandonment in the face of moves from the White House and their implications for a changing Asia-Pacific region.

The podcast begins with an analysis into how fears of alliance abandonment have led to renewed commitments to national security collaboration between European powers. They then unpack whether "deal making" is a strong enough consideration to overcome ideological and philosophical partnerships in the competition for global power. Dr Thompson, Tarrant and Garman wrap up the...

Duration: 00:26:49
DeepSeek car troubles, healthcare hacks, and AI video madness
Feb 28, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host David Hollingworth and journalist Daniel Croft talk about AI in Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), a horrible week for Aussie healthcare organisations, and unspeakable deepfake videos.

Hollingworth and Croft begin by catching up on a report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on the possible dangers posed by Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers adopting DeepSeek for in-car AI. The pair then run down the latest news in Australian cyber crime, with three healthcare organisations – including the fertility clinic Genea – getting targeted by hackers, and discuss the implications of medical data going publ...

Duration: 00:44:06
More DeepSeek dramas, ransomware-as-a-service on the rise, and hacked games spread malware
Feb 23, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host David Hollingworth and journalist Daniel Croft discuss the week that was with DeepSeek versus South Korea, the latest ransomware news, and two malware campaigns spreading their payloads via video games.

Hollingworth and Croft open with what is becoming a regular chat about the trials and travails of Chinese AI DeepSeek, which this week violated South Korean data privacy laws. The pair also discuss Elon Musk's attempt to buy out OpenAI and his efforts to ban chat-up Signal on his X platform. Hollingworth then discusses how ransomware-as-a-service operations are driving...

Duration: 00:34:01
CONTESTED GROUND: The expanding world of state-sponsored cyber warfare
Feb 20, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Liam Garman welcomes Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth, a cyber security expert and Cyber Uncut podcast host, to unpack the latest in hacking and cyber security in the new era of grey-zone warfare and nation-state cyber attacks.

They begin the podcast examining real world examples of warfare-motivated hacking, threat actors for hire, the impact of cyber threats and incidents for nations around the world.

They then discuss the differences between "smash-and-grab" ransomware attacks with persistent and embedded state-sponsored cyber attacks.

The podcast wraps up examining...

Duration: 00:38:51
DeepSeek is still a thing, CommBank has an outage, and happy Valentine's Day!
Feb 14, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host David Hollingworth talks about all the latest AI and cyber news with journalist Daniel Croft - more local ransomware attacks, more data breaches, and scams to watch out for.

Hollingworth and Croft open once again with all the latest AI news, from more bans of the Chinese chatbot DeepSeek to Elon Musk and a whole bunch of venture capitalists wanting to buy OpenAI to Sam Altman's promise that AI will inevitably get cheaper over time. The pair then discuss the week of cyber attacks against Australian organisations. From medical...

Duration: 00:35:21
More DeepSeek musings, how ransomware reporting works, and North Korea at it again
Feb 07, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman quizzes Cyber Daily's deputy editor, David Hollingworth, on geopolitics, cyber crime reporting, and the latest hacking news.

Garman and Hollingworth begin with a discussion about DeepSeek and its geopolitical implications, as well as its biases and possible advantages over other GenAI products – and the fact that it probably cannot be trusted. Hollingworth then goes into a deep dive about cyber crime reporting: why it matters, how companies should include media response as part of their planning for attacks, and some of the ways companies can do better wh...

Duration: 00:41:45
CONTESTED GROUND: Regaining the qualitative advantage
Feb 06, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, Liam Garman and Phil Tarrant unpack the latest in the AI race, and how the United States is seeking to use tariffs to regain the economic edge.

They begin the podcast examining the DeepSeek phenomenon, why Nvidia share prices took a hit, and looking under the hood to see if the tech is as good as advertised. They then look at the recent threats and imposition of tariffs and how this will impact the US, and whether a strengthening US dollar is indicative...

Duration: 00:31:56
The meteoric rise of DeepSeek, Clop ransomware goes wild, and a hacker retires
Jan 31, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft look back on their week reporting on cyber crime in Australia and abroad.

Croft opens the show with a round-up of the biggest story of the week – Chinese AI platform DeepSeek. From how it works, why it's trashed NVIDIA's stock, and the very real security concerns, DeepSeek is going to be a story for some time. Hollingworth then looks at the recent spate of ransomware posts made by the Clop gang – it promised last year that it had stolen a lot of data via vuln...

Duration: 00:38:56
CONTESTED GROUND: What's in store for 2025? Part 2
Jan 31, 2025

As the global economy and political environment continue to become increasingly unpredictable, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack what's in store for 2025 using diplomacy, information, military and economic (DIME) analysis. This podcast represents the second of two episodes, where the hosts provide insight into the latest military and economic events, and how they impact us at home in Australia.

The trio begin examining the recent appointment of Pete Hegseth as the US Secretary of Defense and how the incoming administration will shape the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. They then...

Duration: 00:18:27
JB Hi-Fi not hacked, hacktivists keep at it, and Trump trashes cyber security
Jan 24, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft look back on their week reporting on cyber crime in Australia and abroad.

Croft and Hollingworth talk about a hack that really wasn't – the 2023 Dymocks data breach is commonly resold on hacking forums, and Croft has found another instance of an enterprising type trying to make money from a previous compromise, and it did not end well for them. Finally, the pair discuss how hacktivists crave publicity in return for very little actual hacking and Hewlett Packard Enterprise's (HPE) most recent investigation into another al...

Duration: 00:37:03
CONTESTED GROUND: What's in store for 2025?
Jan 22, 2025

As the global economy and political environment continue to become increasingly unpredictable, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack what's in store for 2025 using diplomacy, information, military and economic (DIME) analysis.

This podcast represents the first of two episodes, where the hosts provide insight into the latest diplomatic and information events, and how they impact us at home in Australia.

The trio begin by examining the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and whether it will likely hold in the current environment. They then turn to the Ukraine War...

Duration: 00:27:04
Cyber attacks increased year on year in 2024 and the latest in cyber security news
Jan 17, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft take yet another look back at a year of cyber incidents and talk about how 2024 saw incidents rise by almost half again. The pair also look at a hacktivist group targeting Australian websites, the still ongoing UnitedHealth saga, a dangerous hacking that may be on the horizon, and the latest in ransomware attacks on Australian organisations.

Hollingworth and Croft kick off the chat with Check Point Software Technologies' look back at the year that was, with 2024 seeing 44 per cent more cyber incidents than the...

Duration: 00:26:54
CONTESTED GROUND: What Trump's Panama Canal comments mean for maritime law
Jan 17, 2025

How might the recent threat from US President-elect Donald Trump impact practitioners in this space?

In this recent crossover episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Jerome Doraisamy, editor of Lawyers Weekly, sat down with The Shipping Lawyer, Alison Cusack, to discuss the shipping law landscape in 2024 and what was learnt from that year, the recent threat from Donald Trump to take back control of the Panama Canal and the history of the canal (and lessons from the Suez Canal experience).

Cusack also discusses the frequency with which shipping lawyers have to adapt to geopolitical shifts...

Duration: 00:23:20
UN aviation authority hacked and the EU fines the EU
Jan 10, 2025

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft wonder if they can fill a podcast with just four days of news in the new year, and of course, they can. From a hacker with a habit of going after big political targets to some of the big numbers of the previous year to geopolitics and terrorist data breaches, 2025 has kicked off with a bang.

Hollingworth starts things off with notorious hacker Natohub's latest exploits – leaking the recruitment data of around 42,000 recruitment forms belonging to the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization. It's fa...

Duration: 00:27:07
CONTESTED GROUND: Picking up where we left off, 2025 shapes up to be a disruptive year
Jan 09, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman are joined by Momentum Media's senior defence and national security analyst and government relations manager, Steve Kuper, to discuss the latest geopolitical developments.

The trio discuss the key developments over the Christmas and New Year period that are setting the scene for a truly transformative midway point for the 2020s.

They also discuss:

Ongoing diplomatic efforts by the incoming Trump administration to resolve the Russia–Ukraine war and the situation on the ground. The Boxing Day revelation of apparent sixth-generation fighter aircraft by...

Duration: 00:30:23
CONTESTED GROUND: Iran's collapsing sphere of influence
Jan 03, 2025

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman discuss the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the ongoing Israel–Hamas war.

They begin the podcast debating whether the unfolding Israel–Hamas conflict will have the same level of strategic significance for Israel as the Yom Kippur War or the Six-Day War. Tarrant, Thompson and Garman then discuss how the conflict has altered the balance of power in the Middle East, severing Iran's crescent of influence by weakening Hamas and Hezbollah, coupled with the fall of Assad. They wrap up the...

Duration: 00:23:09
The year in review and a look at the year ahead
Dec 19, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft take a look back at some of the biggest and most intriguing stories of the year, from CrowdStrike's outage and amazing response to the takedown of ransomware giant LockBit.

Croft kicks off with the epic story of the Change Healthcare hack, which saw the data of about a third of the population of the United States compromised. But it wasn't just the scale of the hack; it was also the behind-the-scenes manoeuvering between greedy ransomware-as-a-service operators, hacker affiliates just wanting to get paid, and...

Duration: 00:32:12
CONTESTED GROUND: Ukraine's freedom of manoeuvre in the information domain
Dec 19, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the future of warfighting in the information domain.

They begin the podcast unpacking major national security developments for 2024 and how global powers have continued to exploit the grey zone, before unpacking an absence of ownership of the information domain in Australia when examining the DIME construct – diplomacy, information, military, and economic. The trio then discuss Ukraine's exploitation of the information environment, and how the modern battlefield nevertheless reflects the Clauswitzian notion that th...

Duration: 00:31:22
Hacktivists target Australian websites, and USMC hacked
Dec 13, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss a widespread hacking campaign by a network of hacktivist groups and an alleged data breach impacting United States Marine Corps personnel. The pair also catch up on the evolving case of the apparent assassination of UnitedHealthcare's CEO and talk about the threat of Chinese espionage operations against telecommunications companies.

Hollingworth and Croft begin by breaking down a campaign by a raft of pro-Russian and pro-Palestine hacktivist groups that recently targeted more than 60 Australian organisations, taking websites offline, defacing others, and even getting into...

Duration: 00:26:34
CONTESTED GROUND: The intersection of national security and Australia's declining economic performance
Dec 12, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, special host Steve Kuper is joined by co-host Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson and AMP's chief economist, Shane Oliver, to discuss the latest economic data and what it means for the nation's economic and national security.

The trio discuss the recently released Australian gross domestic product figures and the impact of Australia's ailing economy on national security.

They also discuss:

Australia's collapsing productivity and the growth of record government spending on the national economy and the baked-in, long-term structural deficits that will characterise the future fiscal...

Duration: 00:41:14
AI for university assignments, hurting tomorrow's leaders?
Dec 06, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss recent changes in Australian cyber policy and recent cyber crime activity. The two debate the controversial social media ban and the use of AI in university assessments, before discussing a website defacement case that could be the start of something much bigger, as well as the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

The podcast begins with a discussion of Sydney University's move to allow students to use AI tools for assessments, one that Croft believes could prepare students for a future AI workplace...

Duration: 00:38:05
CONTESTED GROUND: Maritime competition drives need for an Australian Coast Guard, with Jennifer Parker
Dec 05, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, special host Steve Kuper is joined by Jennifer Parker, expert associate at the National Security College, Australian National University and a former Navy officer, to discuss the growing need for an Australian Coast Guard. The pair discuss the mounting level of hybrid and grey zone warfare in the maritime commons and economic exclusion zones across the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia, which has prompted a radical shift among regional nations seeking to secure their maritime interests. The pair also discuss:

The impact on the naval surface fleet as it is increasingly...

Duration: 00:42:37
CONTESTED GROUND: Ongoing risk of nation-state attackers, ASD; misinformation bill defeated
Nov 29, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, Liam Garman and Phil Tarrant unpack findings from the Australian Signals Directorate's (ASD) Annual Cyber Threat Report 2023-2024 and the challenge of building a governance framework that disrupts the purveyors of disinformation.  The trio unpack findings from the ASD, in particular the ongoing risk Australia's critical infrastructure providers face at the hand of adversarial nation-state actors, and how Australia must prepare for this growing risk.  They then discuss what governance frameworks the government can implement to disrupt the proliferation of disinformation and misinformation online, while being careful to prot...

Duration: 00:18:38
The week in cyber security, with journalists David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft
Nov 29, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft break down the last week in the cyber world. We talk politics, policy, and the truly terrible legislation that is the social media ban, before moving on to talk about recent ransomware attacks and data breaches impacting Australian businesses.

The podcast begins with Croft unpacking the new Cyber Security Act that passed into law this week, before both joining in for a discussion with Hollingworth about the social media age ban that is being more or less rammed through Parliament. The pair lay out...

Duration: 00:29:56
Are business leaders taking cyber security seriously? With Tony Vizza and Louis Cremen
Nov 25, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, independent cyber security executive Tony Vizza and Lumify lead cyber security trainer Louis Cremen join host Liam Garman to discuss whether boards truly understand cyber security risks – and whether they are doing enough to manage them. 

They begin the podcast by unpacking how boards can have a greater understanding of the risk of cyber incidents to organisations and how they differ from other elements of risk that face businesses.  Vizza and Cremen then discuss whether board members are told the full story by management and whether they should undertake their own...

Duration: 00:46:01
Securing the future – physical security, SaaS, and Australia's leadership in physical security, with Genetec's Lee Shelford
Nov 22, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Genetec's Asia-Pacific sales engineering and services manager, Lee Shelford, joins host Liam Garman to discuss the world of physical security and how Genetec's software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution is keeping public and private organisations safe. 

The podcast begins analysing the evolution of physical security, from rudimentary alarm systems to today's SaaS-enabled physical control solutions.  Shelford then discusses how this solution keeps businesses safe: from using data analytics to streamline access control to automating endpoint cyber security.  The pair then discuss the myth of the airgap, and the company's expansion into the Australia-New Zea...

Duration: 00:36:00
CONTESTED GROUND: Where does the misinformation bill leave free speech?
Nov 21, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, shadow minister for communications and federal member for Banks David Coleman joins host Liam Garman to discuss the recent misinformation bill that will leave free speech and political discourse in Australia.

They begin the podcast with a recap of what's in the bill, including how the government will determine what constitutes misinformation or disinformation. Coleman and Garman then unpack some unforeseen consequences of the bill, including how it may impact religious freedoms and genuine political discourse. The podcast wraps up discussing the government's push to remove under-16s from social...

Duration: 00:36:23
Ransomware – a means to an end? With Sophos' Aaron Bugal
Nov 15, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Aaron Bugal, field chief technology officer at Sophos, to unpack how businesses can keep themselves safe in the face of an ever-evolving threat environment. 

The pair begin the podcast by examining recent research from the company's X-Ops division and how professionals should prioritise disrupting criminal networks with a reminder that ransomware is merely a means to an end for attackers.  They then examine how AI is being used to detect threats and the need for businesses to adopt zero-trust security modes. Bugal and Garman th...

Duration: 00:34:18
Preparing for attacks on ICS/OT infrastructure, with Dragos' Dawn Cappelli
Nov 08, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Dawn Cappelli, head of OT-CERT at Dragos, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how governments and the industry are responding to current and emerging ICS/OT threats.

The pair begin the podcast by examining how operational technology is becoming more interconnected with the digital world and what emerging vulnerabilities providers should be aware of for the future. Cappelli and Garman then look into whether government regulations are keeping pace with evolving threats and whether artificial intelligence is transforming the world of operational technology. They wrap up the podcast by discussing...

Duration: 00:37:58
CONTESTED GROUND: Unpacking resource and food security, with Senator Matt Canavan
Nov 07, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Liam Garman is joined by senator for Queensland Matthew Canavan to discuss resource and food security, international politics and Australian domestic policy.

The pair begin the podcast discussing voting trends in Australia and the results of the recent Queensland election. They then examine the need for a robust policy platform that supports Australia's resources industry, protecting national sovereignty, delivering jobs and economic growth. Senator Canavan and Garman then unpack the economic impact of trade embargoes on Australia's finances, before examining the need for effective biosecurity legislation to protect Australian farmers...

Duration: 00:38:19
More cyber security platforms won't necessarily keep you safe, with Check Point's Sadiq Iqbal
Nov 01, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Sadiq Iqbal, sales engineering lead and evangelist, office of the CTO at Check Point Software, joins host Liam Garman to discuss platformisation in cyber security and the importance of interoperability for cyber security tools.

The pair begin the podcast by looking at recent developments in cyber security and why businesses continue to be breached despite the wide range of cyber security solutions available today. They then examine how to ensure that third-party tools can collaborate to provide holistic security and how Check Point's Infinity platform can keep users safe. They...

Duration: 00:49:06
CONTESTED GROUND: Into the space frontier with former prime minister Scott Morrison
Oct 31, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, interviewer Defence Connect senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison. Morrison, non-executive vice chairman of American Global Strategies, has recently announced a new role as chairman of Space Centre Australia, a planned spaceport in far north Queensland. He has also recently concluded a lecture at the Yomiuri International Economic Society in Tokyo in September. The pair discuss:

The Australian government's priorities for space and support of domestic space industry. The sudden blooming of interest in space innovation and its increasingly contested environment between international...

Duration: 00:45:22
CONTESTED GROUND: Divisions spike ahead of the US election
Oct 25, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, co-host Liam Garman is joined by Steve Kuper, senior analyst and government relations manager at Defence Connect, to unpack deepening social tensions in the United States ahead of the US election.

The pair begin the podcast discussing whether modern journalism, with a focus on opinion over reporting, has worsened the political divide in the US. Kuper and Garman then discuss Russian interference during the 2016 election and give insight into the Senate's findings on how protest movements were exploited to achieve Russia's political objectives.

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The Contested...

Duration: 00:38:51
Staying ahead of threat actors with ThreatLocker's Seamus Lennon
Oct 25, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Seamus Lennon, vice president of operations for EMEA at ThreatLocker, joins host Liam Garman to unpack why businesses need to strengthen their endpoint security and implement a zero-trust strategy in today's security environment.

The pair begin the podcast by looking at today's cyber security environment, unpacking why businesses have overlooked endpoint security and the need for zero trust. They then examine ThreatLocker's future innovation and how it will continue defending businesses amid increasing sophistication from threat actors, including current ransomware trends. They wrap up the podcast by discussing the company's...

Duration: 00:29:19
Exploring the threat landscape and how to navigate it, with Rubrik CISO Michael Mestrovich
Oct 18, 2024

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Michael Mestrovich, chief information security officer at data security firm Rubrik, joins host Liam Garman to examine the nature of modern cyber security threats, how much easier it is to become a cyber criminal, and keeping up with changing regulations.

The pair begin the podcast with a discussion on the evolution of ransomware and the intersection of state financially motivated cyber crime. Mestrovich and Garman then examine the role of zero trust as the backbone of cyber security and the importance of cyber resilience. The podcast wraps up with a...

Duration: 00:35:20
CONTESTED GROUND: The pace of military change, with Dr David Kilcullen
Oct 17, 2024

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr David Kilcullen, former diplomat and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency senior research scientist, to discuss the moving evolution of conflict, tactics and military technology.

The trio begin by discussing elements of complex warfare, how predictions change over time and the differences in warfare over the last 25 years. They also discuss the tactics and technologies of past and current conflicts, including those in use in Europe and the Middle East. Finally, they discuss the nature of resilience, innovation...

Duration: 00:44:05