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Artwork for DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches

DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches

Proofpoint
Cybersecurity
Ransomware
Malware
Proofpoint
Social Engineering
Phishing
Cybercrime
Artificial Intelligence
Operation Endgame
Credential Phishing
Investigative Journalism
Cryptocurrency
Pig Butchering
Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report
Election Security
Threat Intelligence
Star Wars
Business Email Compromise
Initial Access Brokers
TA4903

DISCARDED: Tales from the Threat Research Trenches is a podcast for security practitioners, intelligence analysts, and threat hunters looking to learn more about the threat behaviors and attack patterns. Each episode you’ll hear real world insights from our researchers about the latest trends in malware, threat actors, TTPs, and more.Welcome to DISCARDED

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes107Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches

Latest Episodes

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Hello to all our Cyber Pals! This week, we present a special replay of "Only Malware in the Building," the podcast that our host, Selena Larson, also co-hosts! Enjoy!

Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join ... more

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Hello to all our Cyber Pals!

Host Selena Larson is joined by Sean Farrell, Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit (DCU), to pull back the curtain on how major cyber crime takedowns actually happen and how Mic... more

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Hello to all our Cyber Pals!

Host Selena Larson is joined by guest host Sarah Sabotka as they chat with returning guest: Alex Pinto, Associate Director of Threat Intelligence at Verizon Business, and the architect behind the Veriz... more

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What does it actually look like to bring AI into a threat intelligence program at one of the internet's most iconic companies?

Hello to all our Cyber Pals!

Host Selena Larson is joined by guest host, Sarah Sabotka as they chat wi... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Sean Farrell
Assistant General Counsel of Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit
Microsoft
Episode: From Phishing to Court Cases: How Microsoft Fights Back Against Hackers
Sean Zadig
Chief Information Security Officer at Yahoo, also known as Chief Paranoid
Yahoo
Episode: "Always Intentional": A CISO's Pragmatic Take on the Agentic Era
Jake Gionet
Threat researcher at Proofpoint specializing in credential phishing
Proofpoint
Episode: A Device Code Explosion: The New Era of AI-Enabled Phishing
Jared Peck
Senior threat researcher at Proofpoint, focusing on Latin American threats
Proofpoint
Episode: Regional Threats, Global Impact: A TA2725 Case Study
Tommy Madjar
Senior RAT researcher at Proofpoint, focuses on TrustConnect RAT and related ecosystem
Proofpoint
Episode: TrustConnect RAT: Inside a Vibe-Coded Malware Ecosystem
Dr. Bob
Lead cognitive scientist of human risk management at Proofpoint
Proofpoint
Episode: Snowball Learning: Getting Real About Cybersecurity Training
Tony Robinson
Senior Security Research Engineer on the Emerging Threats team
Proofpoint
Episode: From Toasters to Botnets: Securing Everyday IoT
Andrew Brandt
Founder and Executive Director of Elect More Hackers
Elect More Hackers
Episode: Elect More Hackers: Tech Skills for Real-World Change
Joe Wise
Senior Threat Researcher at Proofpoint specializing in tracking threat actors and attack patterns.
Proofpoint
Episode: Threat Actor Theater: TA2541, TA558, and the Cyber Heist Crew TA582

Hosts

Selena Larson
Host of the show, Senior Threat Researcher at Proofpoint
Sarah Sabotka
Co-host and Threat Research Specialist at Proofpoint
Tim Kromphardt
Co-host, Threat Research Engineer at Proofpoint

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 105 ratings
  • Love this pod!

    Selena and Crista dives into intriguing topics that are often overlooked, serving up fresh insights in a compelling manner. It feels like a refreshing conversation with a wise friend, always leaving you eager for the next episode.

    From Bona and Team Capsho

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bona and Team Capsho
    United States3 years ago
  • Great Podcast

    Very good podcast Brian a lot from listening to it.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    JonDvid
    United States3 years ago
  • Cyber! Cyber! Cyber!

    This is the best podcast by CTI practitioners diving into detail about current threats. This podcast would win a fight against other similar podcasts. Let’s have a podcast fight club. Oops this pod is already the champ.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    GPSWKEKT1640
    United States3 years ago
  • Top Notch

    Timely and informative content!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ASVPGLES
    United States3 years ago
  • Top Cyber Threat Podcast

    This podcast has some of the smartest people I’ve ever heard talk about computers. True thought leaders that are titans in the industry bringing the hottest cyber threats to your ears. Highly recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JM123456789123456789
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

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Guests are described as thought leaders delivering practical, actionable guidance.
High-quality, technical discussions with strong production and useful takeaways.
Listeners praise the host duo for deep, timely cybersecurity insights.

Chart Rankings

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Apple Podcasts
#142
Israel/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Phishing to Court Cases: How Microsoft Fights Back Against Hackers
Q: Can you walk us through the Tycoon 2FA disruption and the role of partner collaborations in that action?
Tycoon 2FA was a high-volume MFA phishing-as-a-service operation. The disruption combined private-sector expertise (Proofpoint, Cloudflare, Health ISAC), Europol-led coordination, and civil actions to seize domains and disrupt the attacker's infrastructure. The effort involved mapping the network, identifying control panels, and sharing intelligence with global partners, culminating in a significant reduction in Tycoon activity and setting the stage for further law-enforcement actions.
From Phishing to Court Cases: How Microsoft Fights Back Against Hackers
Q: What is Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit and how does it operate to enable threat actor takedowns?
The DCU sits within Microsoft's legal group and uses civil actions, in coordination with law enforcement, to disrupt threat actors. They pursue civil claims (e.g., RICO, CFAA) to take down infrastructure, seize domains, and issue equitable relief, while also providing criminal referrals and sharing intelligence with partners to align actions with investigations.
"Always Intentional": A CISO's Pragmatic Take on the Agentic Era
Q: How do you balance AI speed with human judgment to avoid overreliance on automated outputs?
The approach emphasizes human-in-the-loop skepticism, using AI to reduce toil but ensuring analysts validate outputs, understand context, and can intervene when outputs don't look right.
"Always Intentional": A CISO's Pragmatic Take on the Agentic Era
Q: What practical steps has Yahoo taken to democratize AI capabilities across the organization?
They ran a seven-week skill-a-thon to have every Paranoid create Claude-based AI skills relevant to their role, followed by demos and cross-team sharing to integrate AI into threat intel, SOC, and product defense.
"Always Intentional": A CISO's Pragmatic Take on the Agentic Era
Q: How is CTI evolving with the advent of LLMs and agentic AI in your security operations?
CTI is moving from static enrichment to end-to-end, autonomous workflows that can ingest complex data, infer adversary behavior, and drive rapid detection-to-action cycles, while still relying on human oversight for high-fidelity decisions and attribution.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches delivers practitioner-focused insights into threat behavior, malware trends, attacker TTPs, and real-world defenses. Episodes skew toward deep technical analysis, practical detection strategies, and the human-side of threat research—from AI-assisted tooling and detection engineering to social engineering and incident response workflows. A standout trait is the blend of rigorous research with approachable storytelling, plus frequent appearances by seasoned Proofpoint researchers and security leaders who share concrete takeaways, case studies, and actionable recommendations for defenders. Listeners likely include threat hunters, security engineers, and incident responders seeking timely, evid... more

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1. Risky Bulletin
2. Smashing Security
3. Cybersecurity Headlines
4. Risky Business
5. SANS Internet Stormcenter Daily Cyber Security Podcast (Stormcast)

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this podcast launched 4 years ago and published 107 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Sean Farrell
2. Sean Zadig
3. Jake Gionet
4. Jared Peck
5. Tommy Madjar
6. Dr. Bob
7. Tony Robinson
8. Andrew Brandt

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