The Hybrid Threats Podcast

This episode delves into the weekly cybersecurity update from CERT SE for week 525. Link: https://www.cert.se/2025/06/cert-se-veckobrev-v25.html

This episode covers a new FOI report that offers an  empirically grounded analysis of Ukrainian strategic communication  during the 2023–2024 phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war, aiming to identify  general lessons for wartime communication in democratic states . It examines the  evolution of Ukraine's communication efforts , from initial formalisation to adapting under chaotic invasion condition...

This episode details a joint report from Dutch intelligence services, the AIVD and MIVD, that reveals the identification of a new, likely Russian state-supported cyber threat actor named LAUNDRY BEAR, also tracked by Microsoft as Void Blizzard. This group has been targeting Western government organizations and defense-related entities since 2024 through relatively simple, yet effective, methods in...

This episode details the findings of an investigation into coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB) networks by Meta. Their First Quarter (-25) Adversarial Threat Report focused on operations originating in China, Iran, and Romania, which used fake accounts across multiple online platforms. Each network targeted specific regions with content designed to manipulate public discourse, often reposting n...

This episode delves into the landscape of hybrid threats as seen in the CERT-SE report for week 22, 2025, highlighting how cyber operations are now a central tool in this complex domain where peace and conflict blur. The report provides a snapshot of national and international cyber incidents and trends. Several key themes emerged, including persistent state-sponsored activity, the vulnerability o...

In this episode we're diving into a joint cybersecurity advisory highlighting a significant state-sponsored cyber campaign. This report comes from multiple international cybersecurity agencies, including the United States NSA, FBI, and CISA, the UK's NCSC, and agencies from Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, and the Netherlands. The advisory details a...

Dive into the world of hybrid threats with our latest episode, uncovering the hidden operations of a state-backed foundation advancing the Kremlin's agenda abroad. Based on tens of thousands of internal emails obtained by journalists, this report reveals how "Pravfond," the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, operates under the banner...

In this episode, we delve into the Defense Intelligence Agency’s 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment, presented by Director Jeffrey Kruse. The report describes a rapidly changing and increasingly complex global security environment. We explore how national security threats are expanding, significantly driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum sciences, microelectronics...

Weekly cyber security update based on the weekly CERT-SE newsletter and link aggregator. This week we dive into major international crackdowns on cybercrime, including Operation ENDGAME's latest strike against ransomware infrastructure and the disruption of the Lumma infostealer. We cover the relentless wave of attacks hitting critical sectors like legal aid, food supply, and energy, alongside new...

In this episode, we're cracking open "Hacking Minds and Machines," a key report from the EU Institute for Security Studies. This paper tackles the critical threat of foreign interference in the digital era. It explores how foreign actors use a combination of tactics like information manipulation and cyberattacks, targeting everything from our social media feeds to critical infrastruc...

In this episode, we're going to discuss a new report from the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence titled "Impact of the Digital Services Act: A Facebook Case Study". This research set out to measure how the European Union's Digital Services Act, which aims to create a safer online space, has affected the spread of harmful content on Facebook. The study specifically looked at posts f...

This episode explores the analysis presented in Chaillot Paper 186, "Unpowering Russia," edited by Ondrej Ditrych and Steven Everts. The paper argues that the European Union needs to adopt a more assertive stance against the Kremlin's tactics, going beyond resilience and deterrence to actively diminish Russia's capacity to undermine European unity and challenge its core interests. The discussion c...

Dive deep into the world of Kremlin-led information influence operations with insights from a groundbreaking report by Lund University and the Psychological Defence Agency. This episode explores the capabilities of the Russian Social Design Agency (SDA), the entity behind the infamous 'Doppelgänger campaign'. Learn how SDA, described as one of the largest and most persistent Russia-based operation...