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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@momentummedia.com.au
For daily news and analysis visit www.cyberdaily.au
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@momentummedia.com.au
For daily news and analysis visit www.cyberdaily.au
236 Episodes
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What does the war in Iran have to do with Australian housing? Potentially, everything. In this bold episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, Phillip Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and leading real estate commentator Tom Panos unpack one of the most overlooked questions in Australia right now: how escalating conflict in the Middle East could reshape the nation's property market. From fuel prices, inflation and interest rates to rents, construction costs, investor confidence and housing supply, this is a serious attempt to connect global conflict with local property pain (or, maybe, opportunity). The conversation explores whether Australia's real estate market is resilient enough to withstand another major shock, what it means for home owners and investors, and why the consequences of war can hit far closer to home than many realise. This is not just a discussion about foreign affairs. This podcast episode is sharp, original and one of the first serious efforts to examine how geopolitics could directly shape the future of Australian housing. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team
In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, host Phil Tarrant sits down with co-host Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson to unpack the second-order effects of the ongoing Middle East conflict – and what it could mean for Australia's security environment. The latest Contested Ground Podcast explores how the Middle East conflict could affect Australia, with a focus on cyber disinformation and proxy activity. Tarrant highlights that influence operations are most likely to arrive online rather than on our shores, while Thompson notes the growing role of AI-driven deepfakes, synthetic media, and coordinated social media campaigns in shaping public perception. Both hosts question Australia's preparedness to counter foreign interference, warning that disinformation could inflame social and political divisions. They also flag economic impacts, including rising fuel prices and supply chain pressures, as likely long-term effects. A central theme of the discussion was resilience. Australians need to critically assess the information they consume, recognising that modern conflict extends well beyond traditional battlefields and into the digital domain. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team
In this episode of Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI developments, from local artificial intelligence news to age verification wrinkles, and cyber conflict overspilling from the war in Iran. The pair kick off the podcast discussion by taking a look at the latest AI news out of the Commonwealth Bank, and this time, it's good news, as the bank deployed a pair of security agents. The pair then take a look at the Australian Defence Force and its own work in integrating AI into its battle management programs. After that, it's time for cyber security! The Handala hacking group has turned its gaze far abroad and targeted a medical technology company, disrupting surgeries and supply chains, while a mysterious hacker has targeted a Kiwi healthcare organisation with a bizarre – and disruptive – cyber attack. The pair also discuss the effectiveness of injunctions and how non-publication orders may seem like a useful tool for victims of cyber attacks but are easily ignorable by the criminals themselves. Finally, Hollingworth and Croft finish things up by looking at the rise of VPNs in the wake of new age verification laws and discussing the new sanctions levied against Chinese and Iranian hackers by the European Union. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Steve Kuper speaks with financial intelligence expert and author, Keith Bulfin as they unpack the intricacies of the global financial systems and the weaponisation of the institutions by organised crime, terrorist and state-backed networks. The pair discuss a range of subjects including the ramifications of lax regulation and enforcement, that has resulted in significant funding, resources and technology making its way to organised crime and rogue regimes, especially Iran. Mr Bulfin's experience working for the US Department of Justice and consulting with law enforcement and intelligence communities on the financial networks of organised crime organisations like the Mexican cartels and their overlap with terror organisations. The interconnected ecosystems linking organised criminal enterprises, paramilitary and terror groups through hubs in the Middle East, particularly via hubs in Iran, the UAE, Asia and Africa. The diverse areas of growth focus for these organisations as they seek to collaborate and circumvent traditional law and intelligence countermeasures to expand their operational impact and revenue streams. The challenges presented by the growing symbiotic relationship between traditionally isolated organisations, that now share common objectives and means for furthering their business, or political reach. The continuing flow of "black money" from nations like China and India, that continue to flow into Australia, exposing our economy to major vulnerabilities across areas like real estate, consumer goods and services. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground Team
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast miniseries following the outbreak of the latest conflict in the Middle East, hosts Steve Kuper and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Air Vice-Marshal (Ret'd) John Blackburn AO to discuss the implications of the Iran conflict on Australia's energy system. The trio begin by discussing the Australian government's rhetoric around the nation's liquid fuel supplies, its access to the global energy markets and the immediate ramifications of the ongoing throttling of oil flows out of the Middle East. As part of this, they unpack the state of Australia's liquid fuel stockpiles, the challenges governments face in moving to "calm" the Australian public and prevent a run on the nation's limited crude oil reserves. They also discuss the decline in the nation's refining capacity, our dependence on foreign refined fuel imports from south-east Asia and the implications for national security and resilience. Finally, they unpack the policy and regulatory challenges and opportunities that face Australia's policymakers and the immediate steps we can take to build national resilience. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team
This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI news and entertain some very special guests in the studio to break down how insider threats work and how CISOs can defend against them. The pair kick off the podcast discussion by breaking down Meta's move to buy agentic AI chat platform Moltbook and how its developers have now become senior Meta AI staff, before moving on to have a look at how Pornhub has responded to eSafety's new age verification measures. Hollingworth then welcomes three fantastic guests to the podcast: Brenton Steenkamp, lead partner, heading up law firm Clayton Utz's cyber security practice; Andreas Ostenfeldt, director in Clayton Utz's risk advisory practice; and their guest, Lou Bladel, the global director of insider threat at Uber and a former FBI agent. Cyber Uncut's guests go into detail covering how insider threats work, what motivates insiders to go bad, and how CISOs can outline the challenge to their boards. Hollingworth also asks Bladel to outline his thoughts on cyber threats emerging from the fighting in Iran, before a quick chat about the risks that agentic AI can pose. Hollingworth and Croft then close out the podcast looking at the UK government voting down a move to introduce Australian-style social media age verification laws – for now. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
In this 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 US–Israeli strikes against Iran and the ramifications for Australia. The trio lays the foundation for a mini-series of focused podcast conversations over the coming weeks to address the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on Australia and the Australian public. These topics will include engaging conversations with a range of experts across the following: The impact on social cohesion and the rise of foreign interference in Australia's diaspora communities. Australia's declining industrial sovereignty and the impact of contested, frayed and interrupted supply chains. The economic impacts of the conflict in the Middle East and Australia's cost-of-living crisis and the fuel security challenges Australia faces. The impact on Australia's key economic pillars and the connective tissue of logistic supply chains. Cyber security, disinformation and proxy activity in Australia. Migration and the challenges facing Australia's diaspora communities. Questions relating to Australia's geographic isolation and the psychology behind our "Tyranny of Distance" and the impact on Australia's security posture. Questions relating to what kind of "Middle Power" Australia wants to be. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team
This week on Cyber Uncut, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI news, while David Hollingworth reports from Zero Trust World 2026 in Florida! Garman and Croft kick off the podcast with news of ChatGPT shedding a raft of users since it announced it would sign up with the Pentagon after rival AI giant Anthropic backed down over fears its AI would be used without adequate guardrails. The pair then unpack the Commonwealth Bank's self-reported $1 billion fraud case involving illegitimate home loans after two whistleblowers accused a lender and a mortgage broker of forging income statements within the bank's private banking division. The two also cover how a hacktivist group named the "Department of Peace" allegedly breached the DHS Office of Industry Partnerships and released details on ICE and DHS contracts with over 6,000 entities, including Anduril, Microsoft, Oracle, and Palantir. Finally, we then cut to David Hollingworth on the floor of Zero Trust World 2026, where he caught up with ThreatLocker's CEO, Danny Jenkins, unpacking the cyber security implications of the fighting in Iran, after Garman and Croft outline the threats to the world's financial systems as the conflict continues in the region. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI news and entertain a special guest to boot! The pair kick off the podcast discussing Qantas facing a backlash over a series of job cuts that may be informed by the company embracing AI, while WiseTech's announcement of 2,000 job cuts definitely is driven by AI uptake. The pair also talk about CrowdStrike's latest research, which shows hackers are embracing AI as much as everyone else. Hollingworth then unpacks a hacking spree targeting Australian small and medium-sized businesses by the Qilin ransomware operation, as well as a hack that has taken a major Aussie poultry producer offline. The pair also discuss the implications of an Australian man charged for selling cyber secrets to a broker linked to Russia. Hollingworth introduces this week's guest, ProofPoint CEO Sumit Dhawan, before the pair have a chat about agentic AI threats and how CISOs can educate their boards, and then they have a look at a more lighthearted – somewhat – sex toy data breach. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Steve Kuper and Liam Garman speak with Agsecure's Andrew Henderson as they unpack the recently released US food security strategy. The trio unpack the details underpinning the pivot in American thinking resulting in the development of the food security strategy. They also discuss the key priorities and focus areas identified in the food security strategy, ranging from concerns around biosecurity, foreign ownership of agricultural land through to supply chain bottlenecks and constraints for key inputs. The trio also unpack the lessons for Australia as we begin our own national conversation about our food security and the challenges we face despite exporting 70 per cent of our annual agricultural produce. Enjoy the Podcast The Contested Ground team
In this episode of The CISO Brief, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the massive youX fintech data breach affecting hundreds of thousands of Australians, a Docusign scam targeting personal and myGov credentials, and new insights into how Australian businesses are adopting AI. The hosts break down the UX hack, why it's not just the quantity of data that matters, but also the sensitive financial ecosystem it sits in, and how threat actors can exploit it for fraud and phishing. Next, they cover a Docusign impersonation scam, explaining the "borrowed trust" technique and how scammers leverage familiar brands and urgency to trick victims into giving up personal data. Finally, Garman and Croft review Deloitte's 2026 State of AI in the Enterprise report, revealing that Australian companies are lagging in full-scale AI adoption but are prioritising responsible, measured implementation over rushing in. Enjoy the show, The Cyber Daily team
This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro talk about how Australia is lagging in AI adoption, the grey areas of facial recognition and surveillance, the alarming youX data breach, and Hollingworth's visit to Montreal to chat about physical security with Genetec. The pair kick off with news from Deloitte regarding an alarming slowdown in AI adoption across Australian enterprises, while Bethany picks apart her concerns over surveillance technologies and why facial recognition may well have a place in Australian stores. This is followed by Hollingworth talking about a recent trip to Montreal, where he was a guest of physical security firm Genetec. He got to see its impressive technology in action and sat down with the company's principal security architect and manager, Mathieu Chevalier, on the intersection of physical and cyber security. Plus, the pair go into the details of a data breach impacting hundreds of thousands of Australians after a hacker penetrated the network of Aussie fintech outfit youX, and what the breach means for the company's customers. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
This week on Cyber Uncut, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss the 209 jobs being culled by Telstra and Accenture, CBA's new "Australia-first" AI plan, Roblox and child safety risk, and how to spot romance scams this Valentine's Day. The pair kick off by outlining what a Valentine's romance scam might look like and some tips on how to spot and stop one. The pair then discuss AI, firstly outlining how a joint-venture between Telstra and Accenture has brought the AI job loss number up by another 209, with only some to be replaced by overseas staff. Finally, Garman and Croft discuss the latest ruling regarding Bunnings' facial recognition technology and give their opinion on having facial recognition technology in stores. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
In this episode of The CISO Brief, the Cyber Daily team outlines how Anthropic's latest update to Claude caused major stock market drops, real estate scams and their impacts, and how a new tool in Australia means cyber insurance can be processed in five minutes. Hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss the impact of Anthropic's Claude Cowork plugins and how they have led to doubt in traditional software-as-a-service options. The two then cover real estate scams, what they look like, how to identify one and how to prevent them from taking your money. Finally, the two talk about Zurich Australia's new AI tool that can process cyber insurance applications in under five minutes. Enjoy the show, The Cyber Daily team
In this episode of The CISO Brief, the Cyber Daily team outlines the lessons learnt from the cyber attack on Poland's power grid, what legal counsel can do to guide you through an AI threat, and why CEOs are more cautious of the technology than ever. In this episode, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss the impact of critical infrastructure cyber attacks and what Australia can learn from them as they occur overseas. The two then outline how legal counsel can guide a business through AI and deepfake threats as the technology changes the threat landscape. Finally, the two discuss how CEOs are more cautious than ever about AI implementation and why it's a good thing. Enjoy the show, The Cyber Daily team
This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss more trouble for Elon Musk's AI empire, the rise of a very active new ransomware group that may not be what it seems, and an alarming discovery while investigating the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein documents. The pair kick off with news that French police have raided the offices of X, while Aussie activists call on app stores to ban the Grok AI chatbot over its sharing of sexual abuse material. Croft also looks into Moltbook, the new social media platform for AI agents. In cyber security news, scammers are targeting property investors, with millions of dollars at stake. Other scammers are posing as Australian Federal Police officers to trick victims out of their cryptocurrency, and the brand new 0APT ransomware group has claimed a massive hack of an Australian healthcare provider – but have they really? Finally, Hollingworth and Croft discover something truly strange about just why their names show up in – of all places – the Epstein files. Let's just say the FBI are regular readers of Cyber Daily. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Steve Kuper and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr Malcolm Davis, Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence strategy and capability senior analyst, to unpack the strategic shockwaves emerging from the United States' 2026 National Defense Strategy. The trio examine what Washington's shift towards an offshore balancing posture means for Australia, including renewed pressure to lift defence spending, the implications of deterrence by denial along the first island chain, and the risks of assuming unconditional US support in a rapidly deteriorating Indo-Pacific security environment. They also explore the growing assertiveness of China, the fine line between stabilisation and accommodation, and whether Australia is approaching a modern-day version of World War II's "1939 tipping point moment" that demands greater self-reliance, expanded defence industrial capacity, and difficult conversations with the Australian public. Finally, the discussion turns to force structure, autonomous systems, guided weapons, and the hard choices facing government as Australia seeks to balance immediate readiness, AUKUS, and long-term strategic resilience in an era of uncertainty. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team
In this episode of The CISO Brief, the Cyber Daily team outlines the importance of running regular tabletop cyber security exercises, the dangers of shadow AI, and employees stealing data – even accidentally – as a threat to your business. In this episode, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss tabletop cyber security exercises and how they can be a game changer for boosting the cyber resilience of any business. The two then summarise the pitfalls of shadow AI in the workplace and how sensitive company data should be kept away from unauthorised use of platforms like ChatGPT. Finally, the pair finish up with a look at employee data theft and how companies may be hemorrhaging data whenever they let an employee go. Enjoy the show, The Cyber Daily team
This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro discuss the murky world of employee data theft, look at a pair of ransomware attacks – one local, one a touch further afield – and take a look at the new cyber security strategy announced by the NSW government. The podcast opens with research that suggests the new year, and January in particular, is a prime time for employees to make off with important business data, either by accident or accidentally on purpose. In cyber security news, World Leaks has taken responsibility for hacking athletics giant Nike, while the Anubis operation has shared passports and legal documents it stole from a New Zealand law firm. Hollingworth also breaks down a cyber security tabletop exercise he recently took part in, and why they are an essential part of any organisation's cyber resilience strategy. Finally, the eSafety Commissioner is asking people to dob in kids getting around the social media ban, while the pair share some insights from the experts for World Data Privacy Day. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team
In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the fallout from the US' arrest of Nicolas Maduro, America's claims to Greenland, and the potential for regime change in Iran. The trio unpack the success and complexities of the US' raid in Venezuela and the intricacies surrounding the mission, the fallout of the "Donroe Doctrine" in action, and its relations intersecting with the 2025 US National Security Strategy's emphasis on the western hemisphere. They also discuss the mounting US pressure over Greenland and what is driving US interest in the island nation, which presents a significant risk of rupturing NATO at a time of mounting geopolitical upheaval. Finally, they also discuss the US military build-up surrounding Iran and the potential for decapitation strikes against the Iranian regime, seemingly backed by the ousted shah and implications for broader global security.
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