Cyber Security Sauna

The NIST Cyber Security Framework has helped secure organizations for nearly a decade and while it’s proven to be an invaluable tool, it’s gotten a bit long in the tooth for a cyber security landscape that never stays static. Enter V.2 which goes a long way in identifying the increasing cyber risk in organizations and implementing more governance, oversight and senior leadership accountability. 

For this episode we were joined by very special guest Cybersecurity Strategist and Eclipz.io Inc. CISO, Matthew Rosenquist, and WithSecure CISO Christine Bejerasco to discuss if the new framework will be enough and whether it will help or hinder CISOs.

Read more: https://www.withsecure.com/en/expertise/resources/navigating-nist-csf-2

Check out the recent webinar with Matthew Rosenquist and Christine Bejerasco for further discussions on the NIST Cyber Security Framework V.2.

A successful cyber defense should protect an organization's critical assets from today's threats, not yesterday's. For this episode, we sat down with threat intelligence analysts Stephen Robinson and Ziggy Davies, two such people responsible for keeping tabs on threats and recent developments, to discuss updates on the threats currently affecting organizations.

Check out the latest insights from the WithSecure Countercept Threat Intelligence team.

Read the report on the professionialization of cybercrime

The term Shifting Left has not been traditionally associated with cyber security. In this episode, WithSecure CISO Christine Bejerasco lays out the case for how shifting left can evolve beyond its origins in software development to be a powerful tool for successful security and business outcomes.

Recorded on-site at #SPHERE23.

As Mikko Hyppönen said recently, we are indeed in the midst of the hottest AI summer ever, and the hype level is off the charts. Yes, AI presents amazing opportunities, but unfortunately, also threats. Nowadays, practically anyone with a passing interest in using it has a lot of power at their fingertips - no PhD is necessary.

Naturally, we must view all of this through the lens of the cyber security industry.

We sat down with Ian Beacraft, Founder and Chief Futurist of Signal and Cipher, and Tom Van de Wiele, Principal Technology and Threat Researcher at WithSecure, to discuss if we are getting too worked up about AI and what it means for cyber defenders either way. Recorded on-site at #SPHERE23.

We have the pleasure of being joined by the one and only Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, network security expert, open-source programmer, writer, and hacker, with a rapid-fire discussion on some myths in the cyber security industry that could do with busting, sprinkled with some truths that could do with trusting. This episode was recorded on-site at #SPHERE23.

As security is primarily about stopping bad things from happening, victories are often silent. At the same time, failures are often very public, so how can organizations tell when their security is paying off? In this episode, we are joined by guest speaker Laura Koetzle, Vice President and Group Director at Forrester and Robin Oldham, CEO of consulting firm Cydea, to discuss assessing the value of a result that produces nothing. Recorded on-site at #SPHERE23.

The time that an attacker spends on a network before attempting to achieve their objective is decreasing rapidly, making many organizations’ typical detection and response solutions ineffective. Speed is the key, but unfortunately the gap between detection and response is growing. In this episode, we are joined by WithSecure’s Threat Hunter Jojo O'Gorman and Principle Incident Response Consultant Mehmet Surmeli to discuss what we can do to solve these challenges.

Read more >> https://www.withsecure.com/en/expertise/resources/how-to-identify-your-response-gaps?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=gl-pr-response-gap-tool

Check out our Response Gap Assessment tool >> https://www.withsecure.com/en/solutions/incident-readiness-and-response/identify-your-response-gap?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=gl-pr-response-gap-tool

The development of new sustainable technologies undoubtedly benefits society, but it also opens the door to new cyber security challenges. For this episode, we were on-site at SPHERE23 with author John Grant to discuss the challenges for organizations to be sustainable and secure.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine changed the entire geopolitical landscape. For this episode, we were on-site at SPHERE23 with security and foreign policy analyst Jessica Berlin, and threat intelligence analyst Stephen Robinson, to discuss the use of cyber attacks and disinformation as policy instruments in the wake of the invasion. 

Advanced persistent threats, or APTs, are generally seen as a sort of apex predator in the cyber threat landscape. And while they’re certainly noteworthy, their reputation can distort what makes them unique, and what they may have in common with other adversaries. In this episode, we’re joined by Senior Threat Intelligence Analyst Stephen Robinson, and Security Consultant Richard Suls, to shed some light on APTs and how we can protect ourselves against them.

Read more:https://labs.withsecure.com/publications/no-pineapple-dprk-targeting-of-medical-research-and-technology-sector

Security protects organizations from cyber attacks. However, studies show that limiting your understanding of security to this basic premise can hinder protection efforts or even other business goals. Instead of spending more and more on security to simply keep things running, maybe it’s time for a different approach. In this episode, we are joined by WithSecure Chief Information Security Officer Christine Bejerasco, and guest speaker Laura Koetzle, Vice President and Group Director at Forrester to discuss a strategy called outcome-based security.

Vulnerabilities and security gaps are increasingly being identified in software and applications daily. Attackers are often quick to act when any vulnerabilities are made known - even within minutes. You may have heard of the term patching in cyber security, but what is it exactly, and how does it figure into an organization's security posture? WithSecure security consultants Katie Inns and Antti Laatikainen join us to discuss all things patching.

In our last episode, we were joined by cyber security advisor Paul Brucciani and WithSecure Intelligence Researcher Andy Patel to discuss some notable 2022 infosec developments. Now that 2022 is in the rear-view mirror, all eyes are turning to the year ahead. What should we expect? Is there some disaster on the horizon for which we need to prepare? Conversely, are there any positive devlopments that we can look forward to?

We're once again joined by Paul and Andy to discuss some of the trends we should look out for in 2023.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time for us to review and reflect on notable infosec events and trends from 2022, and also what might happen in 2023.

In this episode we’re joined by cyber security advisor Paul Brucciani and WithSecure Intelligence Researcher Andy Patel to hear their thoughts on the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on cyber security, what they think about the changes at Twitter, and other significant developments from the last 12 months. 

Until recently, AI-generated synthetic content has been more commonly used for gaming and art creation, where the tech is still relatively new, and pixel perfection is unnecessary. However, with the tech rapidly advancing in complexity and speed, it's probably only a matter of time before it's genuinely challenging to determine if something is fake or not. Unfortunately, this increase in technology will also provide many avenues for disinformation and other assorted nefariousness.

Digital artist and YouTuber Nerdy Rodent and WithSecure Researcher Andy Patel join is to discuss how the technology is developing and its possible implications, good and bad.

In this Cyber Security Sauna special edition podcast, we cover new developments in the data breach of Finnish Psychotherapy provider Vastaamo in 2020.

This case has recently hit the news again, with the Finnish authorities arresting a suspect in absentia. The suspect in the breach and subsequent leaking of patient data is a 25-year-old Finnish citizen. Officials believe he is at large somewhere in Europe. Neglect by Vastaamo system administrators prior to the incident has also been called out by officials and cyber security experts.

Cyber Security Sauna host Janne Kauhanen is joined by WithSecure™ CRO Mikko Hypponen and CISO Erka Koivunen to discuss the history of the attack, what possibly drove the subject to the dark side, and the ethics of securing data within a fast-growing company.

Bug bounties (also known as vulnerability reward programs) crowdsource security expertise to address vulnerabilities in products or services before attackers exploit them. Many companies have adopted reward programs and sometimes offer hefty rewards for finding vulnerabilities. It's a great way for white hat hackers to make some money and showcase their talents for a possible job, and for companies to improve their security.

In this episode, we’re joined by Intigriti’s Head of Hackers, Inti De Ceukelaire, a bug bounty expert that connects organizations with the ethical hacking community, and WithSecure’s Chief Information Security Officer Erka Koivunen.

https://www.intigriti.com/

Geo-political conflicts are increasingly being played out in cyberspace, and organizations, whether they are aware or not, are often caught in the crossfire. Janne Taalas and Johannes Laaksonen from CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and WithSecure™ Chief Technology Officer Christine Bejerasco joined us to discuss how we can resolve these conflicts and try to make cyberspace a safer place for everyone.

CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation

Co-founder & CMO at RELEX Solutions, Johanna Småros, joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion on supply chain management, both in retail and in a broader aspect.

CISO and cybersecurity Strategist, Matthew Rosenquist, joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion on why we should aim to maximise value in cybersecurity.

In this episode, we’re joined by Frank Fransen, Senior Scientist in Cyber Security at TNO, and Technical Coordinator of the EU’s SOCCRATES project, which is developing a new cybersecurity-oriented decision-making platform, and John Rogers, Global Head of Incident Response for WithSecure™, to discuss the role automation can and should play in cyber defenses.

SOCCRATES website https://www.soccrates.eu/

SOCCRATES final event: ‘Innovation for Next Generation SOCs’ is on 19 October 2022ools, technologies, and people SOCCRATES final event: ‘Innovation for Next Generation SOCs’ - Soccrates

SOCCRATES Vision Paper https://www.soccrates.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SOCCRATES-Vision-Paper.pdf

Serial entrepreneur, scientist and futurist, Sari Stenfors, joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion on the importance of looking to the future with a positive mindset.

Chairman and Founder of F-Secure & WithSecure, Risto Siilasmaa, joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion on why trust is the foundation upon which successful and meaningful business partnerships are formed.

Mikko Hyppönen is one of the world's most renowned cyber security experts and has investigated cybercrime for over 25 years. From the days of naughty, nuisance, but ultimately harmless viruses to the very serious cyber threats society faces today, he's seen it all. In addition to his many accomplishments, he is also an author, and he dropped in to discuss the English-language release of his book "If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable".

WithSecure CTO, Christine Bejerasco, joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion on how she has seen the development of ransomware families throughout her career.

Swedish inventor and world-famous YouTuber, Simone Giertz joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion about  building useless things, and if they are actually useless...

TED speaker and Pulitzer-nominated journalist Carole Cadwalladr joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a discussion about threats to democracy.

Spymaster-turned-journalist Philip Ingram joined us in our cyber sauna recording booth at SPHERE22, the world's first co-security unconference, for a quick chat about nation-state threats. 

There’s many different ways to collaborate on infosec problems. There’s no shortage of associations, conferences, and other frameworks that organizations can use to find others to work with. And there’s a healthy supply of security companies to choose from. But do any of these offer concrete benefits to organizations? Will organizations somehow achieve better outcomes by working with others? Or is it more complicated than that? Today, we’re joined by UK-based Julia Ward, WithSecure’s Principal Client & Markets Liaison, and Tom Van de Wiele from Denmark, a former red teamer and current Principal Threats and Technology Researcher for WithSecure™, to hear more about cooperative approaches to security.

Non-profit organizations play a crucial role in our well-being. In many parts of the world, they’re a major source of education, health care, social services, and more. And while they’re not in it for the money, they remain a target for cyber attacks, just like other organizations. Why is this case? What can and should be done about this? In this episode, Adrien Ogee, Chief Operating Officer for the CyberPeace Institute, a non-governmental organization that helps defend the security, dignity, and equity of people in cyber space; and Heikki Stark, a security consultant with F-Secure who recently won an award for his work with the KyberVPK Community Cyber Response Force, which helps providers of critical services fight and recover from cyber attacks, gave us their thoughts on how NPOs can and should tackle the challenges they face in cyber security.

With 2021 now behind us, it’s time to revisit the highs and lows of the past 12 months, and look ahead to what we can expect in the months ahead. To mark the year’s end, we recorded a special two-part episode of Cyber Security Sauna. F-Secure’s Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen, Security Consultant Adriana Verhagen, and AI researcher Andy Patel join episode 64 to share their key takeaways from 2021, and thoughts on important issues we’ll face in 2022 and beyond. In this episode: regulating social media networks, cloudification, AI-powered attacks, security in an age of unlimited computing power, NFTs, and more.

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Episode 64 transcript

2021 is drawing to a close, and it’s time to look back on the events of the past year. At the same time we look ahead to the brand new year to come. Welcome to part one of a special two-part episode of Cyber Security Sauna. In this episode we’re joined by F-Secure’s Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen, Security Consultant Adriana Verhagen, and AI researcher Andy Patel, to hear their key takeaways from 2021, and thoughts on important issues we’ll face in 2022 and beyond. In this episode: cyber security and the board, how companies are doing at integrating security into the business, what a Metaverse could mean, cyber crime unicorns, machine learning in attacks, the future of programming, and more.

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Episode 63 transcript

The remotely exploitable Log4j zero day vulnerability disclosed just a few days ago has been called one of the most serious vulnerabilities to date. So what is it all about, and what does it mean for organizations? How is it being exploited? What are the risks, and what can you do if you're waiting for a patch? F-Secure CISO Erka Koivunen joins Janne to break down the issue, and explains why this vulnerability should be a wakeup call for security practitioners and developers.

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Episode 62 transcript

How attackers are trying to exploit Log4Shell

The topic of application security has never been more important. So how are companies approaching appsec? What should companies do to ensure appsec gets the attention it needs? Antti Tuomi, who works in Japan, and Antti Vaha-Sipila (known as AVS), from Finland, join the show to share their thoughts on changes in application security, shifting left, supporting developers, "level boss testing," and much more.

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Episode 61 transcript

Biometrics have gotten a lot of attention in recent years. Biometric authentication systems have the potential to take the place of passwords, streamlining the user login experience. But there are a lot of considerations before taking these systems into use. When should they be used, and how? What are the risks, and when should biometrics be approached with skepticism? Security expert Vic Harkness and red teamer Tom Van de Wiele join Janne to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of biometric authentication systems, some of the wackiest ways our bodies can be measured, and why layered security still works best.

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Episode 60 transcript

Top 10 Bogus Biometrics - Vic Harkness - DEFCON 29 Rogues Village

Cyber crime is a constantly evolving game. As soon as new technology is introduced, attackers start figuring out how to exploit it for malicious purposes. No one understands this better than F-Secure Chief Technology Officer Christine Bejerasco. Christine joins Janne to discuss the changing world of cyber crime, and how companies can avoid having their new technologies exploited by taking a secure-by-design approach. 

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Episode 59 transcript

Data breaches and other security incidents have become a frequent, severe problem for organizations. But with incident responders in short supply, there are fewer professionals available to help organizations in their hour of need. We're joined this episode by F-Secure incident response consultant Eliza Bolton, who successfully transitioned to cybersecurity from the nursing profession, and F-Secure's head of incident response, Matt Lawrence. Matt and Eliza share their views on tackling the cyber skills shortage, why diverse teams are more adaptable, and why Eliza’s background as a nursing assistant is an asset in the world of incident response. 

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Episode 58 transcript

F-Secure Consulting UK Associate Scheme

After data breaches and ransomware attacks, we often hear that customer information was leaked to the dark web. This obviously can have serious implications for both companies and individuals, but for many of us, the dark web is as mysterious as it sounds. So what is the dark web all about, and what's happening there? How does it affect companies and regular people? F-Secure's Laura Kankaala and Elias Koivula join the show to help to help demystify the topic.

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Episode 57 transcript

Ransomware payment amounts have skyrocketed over the past year. As threat actors keep getting richer, they have more resources to fuel their operations. Many people argue that the way to discourage ransomware is to implement an outright ban on ransom payments. Is this suggestion idealistic or realistic? How would such a ban affect companies, and what are the alternatives? Päivi Tynninen of the Finnish National Cybersecurity Center and Jordan LaRose of F-Secure join us to share their views.

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Episode 56 transcript

AI and machine learning are shaping our online experience, from product recommendations, to customer support chatbots, to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa. These are powerful tools for enabling business - but powerful doesn't mean perfect. F-Secure data scientist Samuel Marchal and security consultant Jason Johnson join Janne for this episode to talk about some of the security issues with machine learning and how to address them.

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Episode 55 transcript

The fallout from a ransomware attack is every organization's worst nightmare. But it doesn't necessarily have to be, if you can respond to an attack effectively. As our guests explain, there are things companies can be doing in advance to ensure a proactive response to ransomware when it happens, and to reduce the impact to the company. Incident response experts Jordan LaRose and Matt Lawrence of F-Secure join the show to discuss.

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Episode 54 transcript

Whitepaper - Incident Readiness: Preparing a Proactive Response to Attacks

Webinar recording - Preparing for Success in Incident Response: Stories from the Frontline

The role of a chief information security officer demands technical knowledge, but it also requires soft skills of leading and influencing - especially over the past year as cybersecurity has grown in visibility for companies. So how can CISOs get their security message across to boards, the business, employees and the security team? Joining Janne are two CISOs, Erka Koivunen of F-Secure and Chani Simms, co-founder and managing director of Meta Defence Labs and founder of SHe CISO Exec community, to discuss communication and the role of emotional intelligence in promoting a culture of security at every level.

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Episode 53 transcript

Report: CISOs’ New Dawn, by F-Secure and Omnisperience

Cloud computing was one of the last decade's most transformative technologies. It helped organizations launch exciting new applications and services, as well as innovate the way they operate. However, moving critical parts of IT infrastructure and operations outside of organizations' perimeters has significant security implications. The cloud is definitely here to stay, so security consultants Laura Kankaala and Nick Jones join Janne to talk about the cloud security challenges organizations are facing and will continue to face.  

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Episode 52 transcript

Phishing is the number one vector leading to data breaches. It's an easy, effective way for attackers to trick users into giving up credentials or running malicious code. While organizations cannot stop motivated attackers from trying to phish their employees, they can make it harder to succeed. F-Secure's director of consulting, Riaan Naudé, calls this building the path of most resistance. Riaan joins the show to talk about how companies can do just that by addressing the earlier stages of the intrusion kill chain. Also in this episode: The most important metric of phishing simulation, why feedback is important, and the phishing emails users fall for.

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Episode 51 transcript

Ebook - Combating Phishing: Building the Path of Most Resistance

Infosec conferences give cybersecurity professionals a chance to network, hear the latest research, exchange ideas, and demo hacks and new tools. But with so many conferences, how do you decide which ones to attend? How can you get the most out of your experience? Are they worth your time and money? What's it like to be a presenter, or even an organizer? Janne speaks to Noora Hammar, head of comms for the Nordic security event Disobey and vice-chairwoman for HelSec Association; and F-Secure's Tomi Tuominen, founder of the T2 infosec conference.

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Episode 50 transcript

Ghost in the Locks: Hotel Room Keys can be Hacked

We thought locking up data and demanding a ransom to decrypt it was bad. But ransomware criminals have stooped even lower and now, threats of public data exposure on top of multimillion-dollar ransoms are routine tactics. What's next? Where's ransomware going in 2021? Joining us to give his take is F-Secure's chief research officer and CISO MAG's Cybersecurity Person of the Year 2020, Mikko Hypponen. Also in this episode: Ransomware's evolution, why it's mainly a Windows problem, the impact of remote work, how ransomware's industrialization affects the threat landscape, and more.

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Episode 49 transcript

2020 has been a year no one predicted. COVID-19 made remote work the norm and shook up the attack landscape. Through it all, breaches and ransomware attacks continued to plague organizations. In this episode we're looking back at some of the trends that defined the cyber world in 2020 with F-Secure's Tom Van de Wiele and Nick Jones. Also in this episode: The supply chain attack on SolarWinds; update on the cyber skills shortage; 2020's effect on VPN, Zero Trust, and cloud; the 2020 US elections and more.

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Episode 48 transcript

With the holiday season upon us, the already accelerated pace of online shopping is picking up even more. And more online transactions means more reasons to be careful about protecting your data from fraud like identity theft and account takeover. ID theft claims millions of victims per year, but how does it happen and how can you avoid being a victim in a world where everything's online? Olli Bliss of F-Secure joins the show with answers. Also in this episode: How attackers get your data, how they crack passwords and break into accounts, what's happening to your data on the dark web, the new trend in credit card fraud, and more.

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Episode 47 transcript

Is iOS really more secure than Android, and why? What are the pros and cons of biometric authentication? How can you know which apps are safe to use, anyway? In this episode we dive into a range of mobile security issues. Who better to answer our questions than a couple of mobile experts? F-Secure's Ken Gannon and Ben Knutson join the show to discuss app permissions, company mobile device management, mobile hygiene tips, signs your phone's been hacked and more. Plus, is your Facebook app listening in on you, or not?

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Episode 46 transcript

Ken's Samsung S20 vulnerability writeup - RCE via Samsung Galaxy Store App

You know about malware, ransomware, spyware. But there's an increasing concern about stalkerware, a creepy breed of apps that allow someone else to digitally monitor you. What is stalkerware all about and how can you recognize it? Who plants it and why, and who are its victims? Joining the show are Eva Galperin, director of cyber security at the Electronic Frontier Foundation who also helped found the Coalition Against Stalkerware, and Anthony Melgarejo, threat researcher in F-Secure's Tactical Defense Unit.

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Episode 45 transcript

Coalition Against Stalkerware

Operation Safe Escape

Electronic Frontier Foundation

It's a year like none we've ever experienced. COVID-19's effects have reverberated around the world, and around cyberspace. What's been happening in the threat landscape while we were all preoccupied with the pandemic? How have cyber attackers adapted to the new normal, and how are they exploiting COVID-19? Christine Bejerasco and Calvin Gan, of F-Secure's Tactical Defense Unit, join us to discuss. In this episode: How threat actors are taking advantage of remote work; email and phishing threats; infostealers that profile company networks; and why a ransomware infection may be just the tip of the iceberg.

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Episode 44 transcript

F-Secure report: Attack Landscape H1 2020

There is no one set path to a cybersecurity career, and today's guests have arrived in the field in very different ways. Logan Whitmire comes from a military background and Derek Stoeckenius has a degree in psychology. In this episode, they share what sparked their interest in infosec, their journey to their current roles, and how their unique backgrounds influenced the way they approach their work. Also: Tips on getting into the field, and what they might have done differently if they could go back.

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Episode 43 transcript

Encryption plays a critical role in protecting our data from hackers and theft. But at the same time, it presents a challenge for law enforcement when it comes to their work catching dangerous criminals and terrorists. What are the possible options at the end of the encryption debate, and are any of them actually viable? How can we protect our data while still enabling law enforcement to do their jobs? Erka Koivunen, CISO of F-Secure, joins us to discuss the encryption "sweet spot" that we've currently found, why some parties want to change it, and why there are no easy answers.

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Episode 42 transcript

New York Times The Daily podcast "A Criminal Underworld of Child Abuse, Part 2"

Red team testing is somewhat intrusive by nature, as it involves breaking into companies - albeit at their request - to help them improve their security. Red teamers must bluff their way past receptionists and hack into employee computers, things that would put anyone else in a lot of trouble. At what point do red teaming activities cross the line into being unethical, or even criminal? F-Secure's veteran red teamer Tom Van de Wiele stopped by to share what a red teamer is not willing to do in the name of security, why cyber security experts need a sense of ethics, and how red teamers and companies alike can make sure that their own ethical concerns are addressed.

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Episode 41 transcript

The F-Secure Guide to Rainbow Teaming

Contact tracing is a key strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19, and smartphone-assisted contract tracing automates a laborious process. But contact tracing technologies face criticism from privacy advocates concerned about the potential for abuse. F-Secure privacy expert and global technical director Tomi Tuominen argues that the issue is a process problem, not a technology problem. Janne speaks with Tomi about contact tracing, how apps should fit into a bigger healthcare picture, and how privacy-preserving contact tracing technology should work.  

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Episode 40 transcript

Tracking COVID tracing apps in different countries, MIT Technology Review

Principles for Technology-Assisted Contact Tracing, ACLU

APT29, aka Cozy Bear or the Dukes, is a cyber espionage group whose misdeeds include famously hacking into the DNC servers in the run-up to the 2016 US election. Now, as the subject of MITRE's latest ATT&CK Evaluation, the group is in focus again. The Dukes are familiar to F-Secure's Artturi Lehtio, who extensively researched them in 2015. But hindsight is 20/20, and Artturi joins the show to discuss how his views on the group have changed since his research. 

Also in this episode: How APT groups behave after being burned and why the Dukes are different; why calling them a single organization is too strong; and why published APT research has generally dwindled in recent years.

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Episode 39 transcript

The Dukes: 7 Years of Russian Cyberespionage - F-Secure whitepaper

MITRE ATT&CK Evaluation: APT29

Operation Ghost - ESET

No Easy Breach by Matthew Dunwoody & Nick Carr - DerbyCon 2016

Dukes activity after their "return" in 2016 - Volexity

It's the topic on everyone's minds: The new state of our world amid and after a global pandemic. Mikko Hypponen, F-Secure's Chief Research Officer, joins Janne to discuss a host of COVID-19-related security topics. In this episode: Avoiding Zoom bombers, new concerns for IT environments, COVID-19 hoaxes and spam, ransomware and hospitals, APT activity, privacy concerns of coronavirus tracking apps, and how the infosec community can help.

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Episode 38 transcript

Webinar: Mikko Hypponen - Cyber Security and COVID-19

In infosec we're used to news about digital virus infections and outbreaks. But the new coronavirus is turning the real world upside down. In many countries, it's changing the way of life for the foreseeable future, and it's already having effects in business security too. Erka Koivunen, CISO at F-Secure, joins the show to talk about the impact of this pandemic on organizations when it comes to cyber security and the shift to a remote workforce.  

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Episode 37 transcript

Coronavirus Email Attacks Evolving as Outbreak Spreads

Hackers are Targeting Hospitals Crippled by Coronavirus

Hackers Promise 'No More Healthcare Cyber Attacks" During COVID-19 Crisis

Protecting Employees and Systems in a Time of Pandemic

2020 marks the start of a new decade. But it's also worth taking a look back at where we've come from and what has changed in infosec. F-Secure's Christine Bejerasco joins the show to review the highlights of the last ten years - from nation state malware to ransomware to Snowden and more - and to discuss how far we have, or maybe haven't, come.

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Episode 36 transcript

Threat hunting has become a buzzword in the industry of late. But what is it all about? Why should companies consider using threat hunting as a part of their security strategy? Connor Morley, threat hunter with F-Secure, stops by to discuss how his craft helps companies take a proactive approach to security. 

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Episode 35 transcript

Whitepaper: Demystifying Threat Hunting

Whitepaper: KillSuit Research

While AI and machine learning are enabling definite advances in the digital world, these technologies are also raising privacy and ethical concerns. What does AI mean for personal privacy, and is it being exploited unethically? Are these concerns being addressed, or will AI spell disaster for society? Bernd Stahl is coordinator of the EU's SHERPA project, a consortium that investigates the impact of AI on ethics and human rights. Bernd joins Janne to discuss the delicate balance of AI - its advantages and disadvantages, potential misuses and how AI may improve life and create opportunity for some, while others may be hurt by algorithmic biases and unemployment.

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Episode 34 transcript

SHERPA Project

Why Good AI Goes Bad

Study: Security Issues, Dangers and Implications of Smart Information Systems

Cyber security has never been a hotter field to get into, but how do you gain the skills needed for landing a job? There are various paths to a cyber security career, from a formal university education to being a self-taught hacker. In this episode we hear from our guest about cyber security education from both a student and teacher perspective. Jesse Rasimus is a graduate of F-Secure's Cyber Security Academy who is now employed with F-Secure, and Tom Van de Wiele is an F-Secure consultant who also teaches infosec. They discuss university versus practical training, starting out in the field, dealing with imposter syndrome, and the cyber security careers of the future.

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Episode 33 transcript

Following in the footsteps of GDPR, the US is seeing more progressive data privacy laws coming down, with the new California Consumer Privacy Act leading the charge. What does the CCPA mean for consumers and for companies? What can the US learn from GDPR? F-Secure's Timo Laaksonen, previously head of F-Secure's consumer business in North America, and Hannes Saarinen, F-Secure's data protection officer join this episode to discuss the new law and compare and contrast it with GDPR.

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Episode 32 transcript

TechCrunch: Silicon Valley is terrified of California's privacy law

The internet seems to be changing from being a relatively unrestricted space into something more regulated. More countries are implementing policies that restrict or filter the way their citizens experience the online world. Is the internet we know and love breaking up into many internets along geographical lines? Is true internet freedom a thing of the past? F-Secure's Tom Van de Wiele joins Janne to talk about digitally controlling regimes, bypassing those controls, and why consuming a healthy information diet is important for all of us.

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Episode 31 transcript

Cyber security is relevant for everyone. Not everyone realizes it though, and not everyone understands what those in the infosec industry take for granted. How should security-minded individuals communicate with friends, relatives, colleagues and the general public about this important topic? What are the misconceptions regular folks often have about infosec, and what could we in the industry be doing better? Security consultant Laura Kankaala joins Janne to discuss.

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Episode 30 transcript

In this episode, veteran hacker and red teamer Tom Van de Wiele answers questions from our listeners. Tom covers the ethics of ethical hacking, how to prioritize solving the myriad of security issues companies face, why he includes a banana in his hacking kit, the importance of communication skills in his job, and much more. A great listen both for those already in the industry and those wanting to break in.

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Episode 29 transcript

Episode 2 - Breaking into Infosec: Advice from an Ethical Hacker

21 tips for getting started in ethical hacking

Supply chain attacks are on the increase, with attackers abusing the trust we place in vendors and software. Why are these attacks growing, and what can companies do about them? Jyrki Huhta, senior security consultant at F-Secure, joins the show to share his thoughts on these devastating attacks and why "trust but verify" should be the motto for preventing them.

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Episode 28 transcript

The modern home is continually getting more connected. But as much as we love our virtual assistants, smart thermostats and cloud-enabled security cameras, are we really aware of the risks they invite into our homes? And how can we enjoy the latest digital technologies without compromising security and privacy? F-Secure's Tom Gaffney joins Janne to discuss why and how IoT makes us vulnerable, how we can protect ourselves, and what IoT device makers should be doing.

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Episode 27 transcript

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism review

"Don't go to shady websites" was the advice people were given back in the day. But now it's not always possible to tell when you're in danger, as even reputable websites can be compromised. So how can you know if a website is legitimate and trustworthy to use? And from the developer's view, how can you design a website to be secure? F-Secure's Christine Bejerasco and Laura Kankaala join us to answer these questions. Listen in for expert tips and tricks for safe browsing, and for designing websites with security in mind.

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Episode 26 transcript

Whois.com Domain Lookup

Wayback Machine Internet Archive

Phishing is one of today's biggest cyber security issues, a go-to tactic for threat actors. It's simple and effective, and perhaps that's why it has become such a source of frustration for companies. Kayleigh O'Donovan of MWR Infosecurity's Phishd team joins the show to talk about how phishers play with your emotions to get you to click, how to spot a phishing email, how phishing simulation can help companies reduce their click rates, and more. 

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Episode 25 transcript

One year ago, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect, fundamentally changing the way businesses handle data. The GDPR forced companies to scramble to comply or face penalties. A year later, what has the GDPR's impact been and how are businesses handling it? Where should companies go from here? Joining the show are F-Secure's Hannes Saarinen, privacy officer, and Eric Andersen, who works with companies on GDPR compliance. We last spoke with them in May of 2018, and they're back to give us a one-year update.

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Episode 24 transcript

DLA Piper data breach survey

Cyber security is always a hot topic during election seasons, and various elections are being held in Europe and around the world this spring. As digitally enabled as the world is, shouldn't we all be voting electronically by now, or via the internet? F-Secure's Tomi Tuominen and Antti Vähä-Sipilä join us to discuss the complexities of e-voting, why it's such a challenging issue, and when it makes sense to use e-voting systems. 

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Episode 23 transcript

OSCE Handbook for the Observation of New Voting Technologies

Council of Europe Adopts New Recommendation on Standards for E-Voting

The pro-leave side of the Brexit debate is getting support from far-right Twitter users based outside the UK. After investigating 24 million Brexit-related tweets, that's the conclusion Andy Patel, researcher from F-Secure's Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence, has arrived at. In this episode, Patel discusses his research, the spread of misinformation, and how social media can often be just an echo chamber for people who share the same views.

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Episode 22 transcript

Analysis of Brexit-centric Twitter Activity

Brexit-related Twitter mischief supported by global far right

BBC - Foreign far-right Twitter users manipulated Brexit debate

The cloud has changed the way we do business and the way we develop and deploy software and infrastructure. What are the security benefits of moving to the cloud, and what are the special concerns? What should companies do to ensure their cloud stays secure? Janne is joined by Laura Kankaala and Antti Vaha-Sipila of F-Secure to talk about what it means to be cloud native, why breaches happen in the cloud and much more.

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Episode 21 transcript

Cyber war is a term we often hear tossed about, but is it just science fiction, or is it really happening? How worried should we be about the potential governmental offensive use of cyber power, and what constitutes a cyber weapon? Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer of F-Secure, joins us this episode to discuss governmental APT actors, why words matter when it comes to cyber war, and why cyber weapons are the perfect weapons.

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Episode 20 transcript

They say that the best defense is a good offense, as football fans or anyone that’s played a game of Risk might agree. But how does this idea look when you apply it to cyber security? F-Secure Principal Security Consultant Tom Van de Wiele joins this episode of Cyber Security Sauna to talk about offensive and defensive approaches to cyber security, and how defenders can use these strategies to protect their systems, operations and data.

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Episode 19 transcript

F-Secure Incident Response Report

If you're looking for love nowadays, you'll likely turn to an online dating app. But what do these apps mean for your security? What privacy concessions are you making when you swipe? How does your online behavior impact your real life? Sean Sullivan joins Janne this episode to discuss the balancing act of maintaining your privacy while finding a match, avoiding romance scams and the tradeoffs you're making when using Tinder and apps like it.

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Episode 18 transcript

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

AARP Scams & Fraud page

DTR podcast - Mixed Signals episode

2018 is winding to a close and the new year is just around the corner. What's in store for 2019 in cyber security? In this episode, five experts talk about exactly that, and discuss notable trends of 2018. From mobile phishing to AI trends, supply chain attacks, IoT, data privacy and more, our roundtable keeps you abreast of the trends. Joining the show are Adam Sheehan of MWR Infosecurity, and Laura Kankaala, Tom Van de Wiele, Artturi Lehtiö, and Andy Patel, all of F-Secure.

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Episode 17 transcript

Facebook Hack Exposes an Internet-Wide Failure - Single Sign-On research

Endpoint protection has been the trusted backbone of many companies' security. But with stories about data breaches and successful cyber attacks constantly in the news, people are beginning to think endpoint security is dead. Whether or not you agree, you might be wondering if there's any truth to this statement. F-Secure's Principal Security Consultant Antti Tuomi joins us this episode to talk about endpoint protection, its strengths and limitations, and when detection and response is needed.

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Episode 16 transcript

Democracy in the digital age is a wonderful yet wild beast. When it comes to electing our leaders nowadays, we're faced with questions about how to escape the influence of malicious actors. With the US midterm elections just around the corner, F-Secure security adviser Sean Sullivan joins us this episode to explain the complexities of the US election system to a European. Sean covers campaign misinformation, why security is not as simple as going back to all paper ballots, and how the hacker mindset can help.

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Episode 15 transcript (including campaign videos)

Vox: The Brexit ballot is amazingly simple

New York Times: See which Facebook ads Russians targeted to people like you

Sample US election ballots 2018

Should your laptop ever get stolen and fall into the wrong hands, you would probably be comfortable in the knowledge that the data on it is protected by full disk encryption. But what if a malicious adversary could get around that encryption and access the data anyway? F-Secure's Olle Segerdahl and Pasi Saarinen have discovered a flaw that allows attackers to do just that, and it affects almost all modern corporate laptops - probably yours too. Olle and Pasi join us today to talk about bypassing the mitigations vendors have put in place against cold boot attacks, and what companies can do to mitigate the risk.

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Episode 14 transcript

The Chilling Reality of Cold Boot Attacks

Passwords. You plug them into your accounts and the services you use at work, you try little tricks to make them more unique, but have you ever wondered what a hacker thinks of your passwords? For episode 13, ethical hacker Jan Wikholm joins us to talk about passwords – how he cracks them in his job at F-Secure, the tricks hackers know you're using, and what you should do to keep your credentials safe. Jan also fills us in on hashing, how he does brute forcing, how companies should protect their users' passwords, and how to create a secure password you can actually still remember.

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Episode 13 transcript

How can companies know if their security investments are actually working? Getting attacked is the ultimate test, but hiring a red team is a less disruptive way to find out. These guys rely on technical chops, acting skills and pure creativity to engage in an all-out attack on a company’s defenses.

Joining us this episode is Tom Van de Wiele, Principal Security Consultant at F-Secure, to talk about how red teaming can help companies improve their security posture, his tricks for hustling his way into a company, and why the coffee machine is a red teamer's best friend while on a job (but not for the caffeine). Be warned: You’ll never look at strangers around your office the same way again.

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Episode 12 transcript

Video - The Value of Red Teaming, with Tom Van de Wiele

Disinformation. Fake news. Social media manipulation. Lately another dark side of the internet has come into focus - its use as a tool for deception. Technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence are being employed to play hoaxes and mislead on purpose. Seeing is no longer believing - and moving forward, it's only going to get harder to distinguish facts from falsehoods. 

Andy Patel from F-Secure's Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence has been studying this phenomenon. He joins Janne in this episode to share what he's learned about Twitter bots, deepfakes, voice cloning and the tools that make it all possible. Do concerns about these technologies outweigh the benefits, and how will they affect society?

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Episode 11 transcript

Andy's Twitter research

Over the past few years, ransomware stole headlines as the biggest malware threat to worry about. Consumers and businesses alike were being hit and forced to shell out money to retrieve their files. But the cybers never stand still, and neither does malware. Nowadays ransomware is being eclipsed by new trends. F-Secure Labs researchers Paivi Tynninen and Jarkko Turkulainen join us to explain why ransomware is on the decline, and what’s taking its place. Listen for the story on cryptojacking and the current world of cybercrime.

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Episode 10 transcript

2016 study: Evaluating the Customer Journey of Crypto-Ransomware

The summer holiday season is upon us, and people are looking forward to trading their daily workplace grind for a new adventure. Traveling is always exciting, but it takes you out of your comfort zone, and that gives thieves and criminals opportunities to exploit you. F-Secure principal security consultant Tom Van de Wiele is back to tell us how we can keep our devices and data safe while enjoying a fabulous vacation. Are the kids safe from strangers when playing Minecraft on the hotel WiFi? Is it OK to use Bluetooth in your rental car? What are the most common vacation scams to watch out for? Don't miss this episode, complete with Tom's checklist for what to pack.

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Episode 9 transcript

How You Can Travel Like an Ethical Hacker: Do's and Don'ts

After months and months of anticipation, the May 25 deadline has passed and the GDPR is finally in effect. Companies around the world are being held to strict new standards for protecting the data of EU citizens. So what now? How well-prepared are most companies, and what about organizations who still aren't compliant? We're joined by F-Secure's Erik Andersen, who's spent the past few years helping organizations prepare for GDPR, and Hannes Saarinen, Privacy Officer at F-Secure, to get the rundown on GDPR myths and misconceptions, what to expect going forward, and the big idea some companies who object to GDPR are missing.

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Episode 8 transcript

The Big Idea Behind GDPR

GDPR - F-Secure Learnings and Best Practices, with Hannes Saarinen

When people look for logos or symbols that emanate security, they often choose a lock. Sure, we know locks can be picked. But what would the world look like if attackers could just walk in without breaking their stride? After years of research, two F-Secure researchers have discovered that by exploiting design flaws in an electronic hotel lock system used in tens of thousands of hotels worldwide, they could create a master key to open any room in the building. In this episode, F-Secure’s Tomi Tuominen and Timo Hirvonen share their story, plus they get real with the unvarnished truth about hacking. The road wasn't easy, but these guys proved that after countless dead ends you can still come out on top. 

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Episode 7 blog post and transcript

Hotel lock hack webpage & FAQ

Hotel lock hack presentation at Infiltrate 2018

Operational security is about turning the tables, looking at things from an attacker's point of view, and identifying how your own actions are making you vulnerable. Listen as Erka Koivunen, CISO of F-Secure, gets us up to speed on opsec: selecting your appropriate threat model, why you should never trust the office network, and tips for "spring cleaning" your opsec (potato chips and nail polish are recommended tools). And don't miss his favorite story of an epic corporate opsec fail.

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Episode 6 blog post & transcript

If you travel with your laptop, you probably should travel with nail polish

Common Sense security tips from Erka

With the disclosure of Meltdown and Spectre early this year, hardware security has come into focus. What are the special challenges of securing hardware versus software? What about securing high-risk industries like aviation and automotive? In this fascinating episode, Andrea Barisani, head of hardware security at F-Secure, shares why we should be thankful for Meltdown, why security problems do not equal safety problems, the one piece of advice he would give hardware manufacturers, and much more.

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Episode 5 blog post

The Internet of Things promises futuristic smart homes, energy savings and efficiencies, and improvements to health and well-being. But the IoT still has a long way to go before we can safely enjoy these benefits - currently, it threatens our security and privacy. Steve Lord, a 20-year industry veteran and director at Mandalorian, joins the show to talk about the IoT, from smart cars and TVs to Amazon Alexa and Apple Health. You'll learn why companies love your data, the biggest misconception about the IoT, and the one thing you can do to stay secure if you own a smart device.

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Episode 4 blog post

You Actually Own Your Device, and Other Myths About the IoT

F-Secure Report: Pinning Down the IoT

Corey Doctorow, The Coming War on General Computation

Data breaches. They're every organization's worst fear. Why are companies so ill-prepared, and what are companies missing in their approach to data breaches? Host Janne Kauhanen is joined by Marko Buuri, Principal Risk Management Consultant at F-Secure, and Tuomo Makkonen, Principal Security Consultant, to give you the lowdown on breaches and what you need to know.

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Episode 3 blog post

Between zero day news flashes and stunt hacking reports, there are a lot of false conceptions about what it's like to be an infosec professional. So what should you focus on to get into the world of infosec testing or to become a security consultant? What background do you need? How valuable are conferences and certifications? These are just a few of the questions our guest Tom Van de Wiele answers to help you on your way in this rewarding field.

Tom is a principal security consultant at F-Secure with 15 years of infosec experience. He specializes in red team operations and targeted penetration testing for the financial, gaming and service industries. When not breaking into banks, Tom acts as an advisor on topics such as critical infrastructure and IoT as well as incident response and cyber crime.

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Episode 2 blog post

Tom's Top 21 Tips for Becoming an Ethical Hacker

The recent allegations against Russian antivirus vendor Kaspersky have prompted wider questions about antivirus in general - how it operates and what sort of data it collects from customer machines. In the first episode of Cyber Security Sauna, F-Secure's chief research officer Mikko Hypponen joins host Janne Kauhanen to answer these questions. You'll also hear his thoughts on Kaspersky and why it's important to trust your vendor.

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Episode 1 blog post

Episode 1 transcript

FAQ: Everything You Wanted to Know About AV Data Transmission But Were Afraid to Ask

F-Secure Data Transfer Declaration