Security Soapbox | Privacy, Security and Everything in Between

The Q1 2025 Lookout Mobile Threat Landscape Report highlights emerging human risk and AI as the primary drivers of security threats. This most recent report emphasizes that attackers are targeting individuals through their mobile devices early in their attacks – exploiting the native trust we have in these devices and our natural tendencies to engage with communications that drive curiosity.

2024 saw a surge in cyberattacks alongside rapid tech advancements, making it clear that staying ahead in the digital world is more important than ever. In this week's session, we’ll explore the top cybersecurity predictions for 2025 — highlighting emerging threats, key trends, and the latest strategies for fortifying your defenses. Listen as our expert panel shares valuable insights and predictio...

On this week’s episode of Security Soapbox, we are joined by Jim Coyle, US Public Sector Field CTO at Lookout. We’re diving into the hot topic of election security; unpacking various threats, like disinformation campaigns, cyber espionage, and weaknesses in our election infrastructure — and who’s behind them. We’ll also chat about current protective measures and some innovative ideas, like using b...

We’ve all received that urgent text message from our “CEO” asking us to take care of an urgent task. This form of social engineering has become a preferred tactic by threat actors who want to create a high-pressure situation in order to convince employees to send money or share sensitive data.  This week’s episode will cover the why and how behind these attacks. We will also cover the critical rol...

On this week’s episode of Security Soapbox, we are joined by Charity Spiri, who oversees the Security Service Edge (SSE) product portfolio at Lookout. Were challenging the common perception of web-based threats being solely network attacks. Web threats encompass a wider range of risks, including data leakage, shadow IT, and security concerns from AI platforms. While not entirely new issues, these...

In this week's episode of 5 Minute Friday, we discuss the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the EU and its potential impact on iOS security. We talk through the possible security risks and malware threats that could come from opening iOS devices to third-party app stores. To keep up to date on current threats:  ⁠www.lookout.com/threat-intelligence

In this week's episode of 5 Minute Friday, we discuss BadBazaar, an iOS & Android surveillanceware by China's APT-15, designed to target Uyghur Muslims. We take a dive into the invasive nature of Chinese "pre-criminal" surveillance and BadBazaar's recent expansion to iOS devices, providing insights into its early development and the evolving landscape of mobile threats. T...

In this week's episode of 5 Minute Friday, we discuss three critical vulnerabilities affecting both iOS and Android devices. We also discuss the importance of patching these vulnerabilities, and the modern phishing attack tactics used to exploit them. To keep up to date on current threats: www.lookout.com/threat-intelligence

In this episode, host Hank Schless welcomes back Ramy Houssaini, Chief Cyber & Technology Risk Officer at BNP Paribas and Founding Chair of The Cyber Poverty Line Institute. They explore the concept of 'cyber poverty,' and shed light on the global disparity in cybersecurity resources, highlighting the critical need for inclusive cyber capability building to safeguard individuals and so...

In this week's episode of 5 Minute Friday, we discuss the resurgence of the Robin Banks, a phishing-as-a-service kit, and its tactics like MFA bypass. We also discuss related threats such as 0ktapus, showcasing evolving cyber threats and the replication of successful attack methods among different groups. To stay up to date on recent threat intelligence, ⁠ ⁠click here⁠.

In this episode of 5 Minute Friday, we discuss droppers, a type of mobile malware that serves as a middleman between a target device and the threat actor's command and control server. Droppers are now being offered as a service, which could enable more advanced malware to get on more devices.  To stay up to date on recent threat intelligence, ⁠ click here⁠.

In this episode of 5 Minute Friday, we discuss recent research related to the advanced persistent threat (APT) group Arid Viper. Learn about how their tactics for targeting mobile users are exemplary of an attack chain that many cybercriminals use and why it's so effective To stay up to date on recent threat intelligence, click here .

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, we delve into the shadowy world of cyber espionage as we explore Infamous Chisel, Sandworm, and Deblind. Discover how the Russian APT group, Sandworm, known for major international cyberattacks, ventured into mobile surveillance with Infamous Chisel. Learn about Deblind, a system-level Android app that operates with unprecedented privileges, collecting user a...

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, we discuss how societal disruption creates opportunities for malicious actors to exploit people's uncertainties. In this case, we examine a recent case where a malicious version of the legitimate mobile app, RedAlert - Rocket Alerts, was distributed, targeting individuals in Israel. To stay protected against these types of mobile threats, click here .

On this week’s episode of 5 Minute Friday, we are discussing a recent iOS vulnerability, iLeakage, that exploits your web browser including opened tabs and login credentials. Learn more about iLeakage and the importance of protecting your mobile device —  the device that goes everywhere you do. For additional resources on protecting your mobile device, visit: www.lookout.com/products/endpoint-secu...

Caesars Entertainment and MGM resorts were recently breached by a well-known cybercrime group, Scattered Spider. Listen to this week’s 5 Minute Friday to learn about these attacks, how this group operates, and what you can do to avoid your organization being the next target. For a deeper dive, visit: www.lookout.com/documents/threat-reports/us/lookout_tg_scatteredspider.pdf

Recent hype around Chinese apps TikTok and Pinduoduo has put a spotlight on the risk surrounding mobile apps. In this quick-fire Soap Suds episode, host Hank Schless discusses the concerns behind these Chinese apps and highlights the reasons why organizations need to keep tabs on mobile apps in general to minimize the risk to their data. For more information on data collection related security thr...

With more devices than humans in our world today, the amount of data being generated is higher than ever, with no sign of slowing down. Enter: edge computing. In this episode, host Hank Schless is joined by Said Ouissal, Founder and CEO at ZEDEDA, to discuss edge computing — from its business applications to the challenges of securing the technology and everything in between.

Organizations are making big decisions to implement cloud solutions to boost collaboration and gain competitive advantage. But many aren’t prepared to handle the risks that cloud services introduce. In this episode of Security Soapbox, host Hank Schless talks shop with Faz Sadikali, Founder of Cloud Insights, on how to build secure workstreams and level up IT to reap the benefits of the cloud whil...

With the rapid adoption of BYOD and the growing remote workforce, IT and security teams are just catching on to the need for mobile security to protect corporate data and assets. In this episode, host Hank Schless is joined by Cile Montgomery, Product Line Marketing Manager at VMware, to discuss the new risks mobile devices present to organizations and what trends to expect in the next year for mo...

SharkBot, a notorious banking trojan, has just resurfaced since it was first spotted in the wild in October 2021. In this newest variation, the malware targets banking credentials through two apps with collectively over 60,000 downloads on Google Play. In this episode, host Hank Schless discusses what you need to know about SharkBot and how to protect yourself and your organization.

Twilio, Cloudflare and other organizations reported employees were targeted with a phishing campaign leveraging a kit codenamed 0ktapus. Tune in for this short episode to learn more about the mechanisms behind the phishing campaign and tips for mitigating this threat. To learn more about this breach and how to protect your organization, check out our blog on this topic: https://bit.ly/3cuweCI

Cybersecurity challenges are moving at cloud speed and leaving legacy approaches in the dust. On this week’s episode, host Hank Schless is joined by Ramy Houssaini, head of privacy and cyber risk at BNP Paribas, to discuss the top security considerations CISOs should be aware of in this rapidly changing security environment. To learn more about what Ramy spoke about, check out Hank's blog on this...

When pitching to your board of directors, security should be treated like any other business unit. On this week’s Security Soapbox, our host Hank Schless is joined by Paul Simmonds, CEO of the Global Identity Foundation and Former CISO of AstraZeneca, ICI and Motorola Cellular Infrastructure. They discuss how to cut through buzzwords and turn security into a business enabler. Check out Paul’s gues...

While Zero Trust is a popular framework, it doesn’t come with a user manual. On this week’s Security Soapbox, Ashish Kathapurkar and Nikhil Sinha from Google join Hank Schless to discuss how securing your cloud apps requires an approach that goes beyond the apps’ capabilities. Check out our blog to learn more: https://bit.ly/3vAo15w